Calvary nurses keen to help

For a number of years, Graduate Nurses from Calvary Health Care Adelaide have raised funds to support Health projects in Timor-Leste previously conducted by Sister Joan Westblade RIP. The 2017 Graduates were no exception. Despite a very challenging year of transition from the role of student to qualified nurse, they ran a series of fund-raising events which included cake stalls, mother’s day raffle, movie nights and selling soft drinks, to name a few. The result was more than $7000 raised to improve health conditions in Timor Leste. An amazing effort!

ATLAS is grateful to these young nurses and to their Co-ordinators for reaching out to our near neighbours. In a country where health care is inaccessible for so many, the funds will be directed to projects dear to Sister Joan’s heart – to the alleviation of sickness and distress where it is most needed among the poor and the destitute.

A big THANK YOU and Congratulations to the Graduates …….

Despite considerable progress, Timor-Leste remains the poorest county in the Asia/Pacific region and among the poorest in the world.

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            Supporting health in Timor

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         A welcome cheque for a healthy Timor

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Some facts on Timor-Leste:

  • Present population approx. 1,300,000
  • 41% live below the poverty line of US$1.25 per day
  • Life expectancy: 68 years
  • Infant mortality rate: 35.1 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Death of children under 5 years: 64 per 1,000 compared with 26/1000 in Asia Pacific
  • Maternal mortality: 215 per 1000 live births compared with 88/1000 in Asia Pacific
  • Malnutrition and stunting occurs in 50.2% children under the age of 5 years.
  • Incidence of tuberculosis 498 per 100,000
  • Victims of diarrhoea and tuberculosis constitute a major part of the 47 percent of deaths from communicable diseases annually.

Reference: https://www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/least-developed-country-category-timor-leste.html