Australia’s Partnership for Human Development in Timor Leste: A conversation with Armandina Gusmao Amaral

Australian Ambassador for Regional Health Security, Stephanie Williams, is back on the road to meet with Australia’s partners in the region and learn about how they have fared during the pandemic. 

On today’s episode, Ambassador Williams speaks to Armandina Gusmao Amaral, the Program Director at the Partnership for Human Development. Mana Dina is a stalwart of public health and development in Timor Leste, having worked with AusAID, then the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade since 2004. She developed her passion for healthcare and serving her community watching her late father work as a nurse when she was a child, and she has dedicated her career to helping develop Timor Leste’s health sector.

Mana Dina and Stephanie talk about building resilient health systems in Timor Leste and how the pandemic has challenged the work of the Partnership for Human Development. Mana Dina talks about how her passion for working with people and communities has helped her work in coordination, engagement and management of health systems. We also discuss Mana Dina’s work mentoring the next generation of health workers in Timor Leste and what more needs to be done to not only strengthen the healthcare system in our region, but also develop the pipeline of talented healthcare workers from doctors and nurses, to public health professionals.

We hope you enjoy the conversation and learn more about the Partnership for Human Development’s work at http://phd.tl/