Open J Public Health | Volume 3, Issue 2 | Review Article | Open Access

Perspectives and Understanding of the Policy Makers and Local Authorities Towards Decentralization and How It Affects Health Financing and Budget Allocation at Municipality Level in Timor-Leste

Joao S Martins^*, Teresa A Madeira, Jose Dionisio, Natalia Pereira, Antonio Ximenes, Manuel Fernandes and Vicente de Paulo Correira

Department of Public Health, National University Timor Lorosa'e, Timor-Leste

^*Correspondance to: Joao S Martins 

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Abstract

Timor-Leste restored its independence on May 20th, 2002 and it has administrative territorial division of 13 districts inherited from the previous Indonesian administration. Significant efforts have been made by the post-independence successive governments to embark on the reform of the administrative territorial divisions. Today, Timor-Leste has 12 municipalities and one special autonomous region of the enclave Oecussi. This study was undertaken in 4 municipal authorities using qualitative methods and combined with SWOT analysis. The study explores the understanding on decentralization process among policy makers at national level and local authorities at the municipality level along with the challenges in implementing the decentralization process. The study also looks at how the decentralization affects health sector in municipalities.

Keywords:

Decentralization; Municipalities; Population; Municipal authority; Health service

Citation:

Martins JS, Madeira TA, Dionisio J, Pereira N, Ximenes A, Fernandes M, et al. Perspectives and Understanding of the Policy Makers and Local Authorities Towards Decentralization and How It Affects Health Financing and Budget Allocation at Municipality Level in Timor-Leste. Open J Public Health. 2021; 3(2): 1022..