A top priority for the Timor-Leste Hearts Fund is to collaborate with the Timor-Leste Ministry of Health and Hospital Nacional Guido Valadares (HNGV) to strengthen the local cardiac healthcare workforce. Many standard cardiac surgeries are currently unavailable in Timor-Leste, forcing patients to seek treatment abroad, which is often too expensive for most.
To address this, Timor-Leste Hearts Fund has been bringing critically ill patients to Australia for surgery. However, there are still many people in Timor-Leste with cardiac conditions who need care. The Ministry of Health is working on establishing a new cardiac center with a catheterization lab, allowing some surgeries to be performed locally. So far, Timorese cardiologists have had limited access to specialized diagnostic and treatment equipment, and they are eager to enhance their skills and knowledge.
Our volunteer cardiologists have been visiting HNGV’s cardiac ward, helping local cardiologists assess patients during rounds. We are also consulting with the cardiology team to identify the most beneficial training for both cardiologists and nurses. Learning from cardiologists in Australian hospitals has been recognized as a valuable opportunity.
Through a training collaboration between Timor-Leste Hearts Fund, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne (SVHM) and HNGV, we recently sponsored Dr Herculano Seixas, the Head of Cardiac Unit at HNGV in Timor-Leste, for a two-week training visit to SVHM in October.
During the visit, SVHM clinicians instructed Dr Seixas in cardiac procedures like structural procedures on valves affected by rheumatic heart disease, heart attack procedures and stents.
He also learnt about research into the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to find rheumatic heart disease in areas with a lack of trained clinicians.
“I loved working with the director, all the specialists, residents, staff and patients at St Vincent’s; they were very friendly and generous,” Dr Seixas said.
“It was great to see how the hospital organises itself in an efficient way to deliver the high quality of services to the people with love, compassion and excellence.”
“The training was very important for my professional career. As we are at the initial phase to set up our cardiac services in Timor-Leste, the experience will be valuable for me on my way towards the establishment of Timor-Leste Heart Center.
“I am committed to sharing my knowledge with my team and am confident that in the short term we will be starting the echo stress study and operationalising the pacemaker programmer.”
Timor-Leste Hearts Fund has previously brought cardiac patients to Australia for treatment due to the country’s lack of capacity in the area.
But Dr Herculano Seixas’ visit is the first time the fund has been able to sponsor a clinician for training in Australia.
Timor-Leste Hearts Fund’s CEO Jane Williams said the fund was “very grateful to St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne for facilitating the cardiac training for Dr Herculano Seixas”.
“Timor-Leste Hearts Fund is partnering with the Ministry of Health and Hospital Nacional Guido Valadares (HNGV) in Timor-Leste to strengthen the capacity of the cardiac healthcare workforce,” she said.
“This training is an incredible opportunity to enrich his knowledge at a world leading hospital and strengthen the support of patients and the cardiac team at HNGV.”
Dr Louise Creati, an SVHM Cardiologist and member of the Clinical Governance Committee of Timor-Leste Hearts Fund, was involved in coordinating the training with SVHM teams.
“The SVHM Infectious Diseases Department Doctors were instrumental in facilitating the training, liaising with our SVHM Cardiologists. They have well established protocols for these programmes and provided expert advice on many occasions,” she said.
Dr Elizabeth Paratz, who is both an SVHM Cardiologist and Deputy Clinical Director of the Timor-Leste Hearts Fund, worked with Dr Seixas during his visit.
“Having Dr Herculano visit and be part of our department for a fortnight has been fantastic,” she said.
“Everyone has been incredibly supportive, and he has built relationships and support that will continue through as he returns to Timor to continue to build capacity in areas of pacing, advanced cardiac imaging and intervention.
“We hope to host him again in the future, and look forward to building ongoing networks with the National Hospital in Dili.”
Timor-Leste Hearts Fund is now focused on developing and implementing future training modules for cardiologists and nurses in Timor-Leste over the next three years. Our team is looking forward to collaborating with the Timor-Leste Ministry of Health, HNGV, and cardiac organisations in Australia and overseas to advance Timor-Leste’s capacity for cardiac treatment.
