Dili,November 11, 2026 (Média Democracia) – The National Institute of Pharmacy, Products and Medicine (INFPM) assures that the problem of lack of reagents (stock out) in the National Laboratory will be resolved in the near future, as four containers containing medical supplies and reagents have entered the Port of Tibar. These items will be distributed to the National Laboratory, Guido Valadares National Hospital (HNGV) and other health facilities in Timor-Leste.
INFPM Executive Director, Paulina Mendonça, said four containers carrying medicines and consumables, including reagents for laboratory tests, have entered the Port of Tibar and are currently waiting for the customs process to be taken to the central warehouse.
“Currently, two containers carrying medicines have entered, and two other containers carrying consumables and reagents. On November 16, these goods will enter all. Some will be in Portu Tibar because currently the customs process is underway. Paulina Mendonça, to journalists at her office, Wednesday (11/11).
He explained that when these items arrive at the central warehouse, INFPM will distribute them to municipal hospitals, referral hospitals and HNGV, to respond to the needs of medicines and reagents in health facilities.
“When the goods enter the central warehouse, we have to distribute to municipal hospitals and referral hospitals, including HNGV,” he said.
Related to the urgent need for specialized career vacancies in HNGV, Paulina said that INFPM has done the purchasing process according to the quantification list and plan that HNGV presents
He affirmed INFPM continues to seek solutions to ensure reagent availability, including through the collection of reagents from municipalities that have not been used, to avoid the expiration date of these goods.
“INFPM makes purchases according to the quantification list and plan presented by HNGV. We also look for reagents from municipalities that have not been used, to avoid the expiration date of these goods. This is part of the effort to respond to the needs of the National Laboratory,” he explained.
Paulina also said, according to INFPM data, the availability of medicines currently reaches 79%, while the stock out is 21%. He affirmed that the goods that have entered the Port of Tibar will help improve the stock situation in health facilities.
“The stock of medicines available is 79%, while the stock out is 21%. For the vital category, the availability is 18%, essential 17% and necessary 37%,” he said.
Earlier, Director-General of the National Laboratory, Mario Coelho, also confirmed that the National Laboratory is facing a shortage of reagents for blood tests, especially in the area of chemistry and hematology.
However, the National Laboratory has communicated with the Ermera Municipal Health Service and the Maubisse Referral Hospital to obtain reagent support to conduct tests for candidates who follow the recruitment process for specialized career vacancies in HNGV.
“Indeed, the reagents we use to do blood tests in the area of chemistry and hematology are facing stock out. However, through communication with referral hospitals and health centers, we managed to collect 400 reagents, of which 200 came from Ermera and another 200 from Maubisse Referral Hospital,” Coelho told reporters at his office. tuesday (10/11).
He explained that 400 reagents are not sufficient to respond to the testing needs of candidates who apply for specialized career vacancies in HNGV, where the number of candidates is almost 2,000 people.
“Looking at the number of candidates who applied for vacancies in HNGV, 400 reagents are not enough. Therefore, we continue to seek support from referral hospitals, health centers and hospitalization centers in the territory of Timor-Leste, especially in places where there are reagents that have not been used,” he said.
Mario said the National Laboratory has requested INFPM to purchase the missing reagent, and the purchase process is underway. He hopes that within days, the requested reagent will be able to arrive, according to the purchasing and transportation process that INFPM carries out.
On the other hand, Minister of Health, Eliá Amaral, said that the Ministry of Health has allocated a budget of more than US$1 million for the needs of reagents, to ensure laboratory testing services to the population.
“We see that the reagents used to serve the population in the laboratory service cost more than US$1 million. These items are used by health professionals to provide services at the National Hospital Guido Valadares,” said Minister of Health, Eliá Amaral.
Reporting: Octaviana da Costa
Photo: Octaviana da Costa