WHO urges science-led action and a stronger One Health approach in Timor-Leste

WHO has used World Health Day to call for science-led action and a stronger One Health approach in Timor-Leste, linking the message to the country’s work on rabies, antimicrobial resistance and recent disease elimination gains.

In a statement published on April 7, 2026, WHO Timor-Leste said the day’s theme is “Together for health. Stand with science.” It urged policymakers and health agencies to base decisions on evidence while coordinating more closely across human, animal and environmental health.

WHO said Timor-Leste has already applied the One Health model in its response to rabies and in broader antimicrobial resistance coordination. The organization noted that the country’s rabies work has involved the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry through a national task force and elimination plan.

The statement also pointed to Timor-Leste’s recent public health milestones, including malaria elimination in 2025, lymphatic filariasis elimination in 2024 and rubella elimination in 2023.

WHO’s regional World Health Day messaging in South-East Asia and the Western Pacific also emphasized science-based policy and One Health as a way to reduce future health risks.

The Timor-Leste note did not announce a new program, but used the annual observance to reinforce an existing public health strategy and the need to sustain it.