The World Health Organization's (WHO) operations will come to a standstill in Timor if no new money is found, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned today. That would mean an effective end to public health coordination in East Timor, WHO said.

"Thanks to the money already mobilized by WHO and donated by the Italian Government, we have field personnel in both East and West Timor supporting the health authorities in East Timor, offering technical guidance to other UN agencies and nongovernmental organizations in the field, and setting up a communicable disease surveillance system. But the Italian donation has run out and if we do not get additional funds we will have to scale down and eventually cease our operations there," said Dr Xavier Leus, Director of Emergency and Humanitarian Action and WHO headquarters in Geneva.

On 22 September, WHO put forward its estimated funding needs of US $9 million to continue its operations - $2 million to continue its technical assistance to other organizations working in Timor and for the rebuilding of health infrastructure in East Timor, and an additional $7 million to continue its programme on communicable diseases surveillance and control of key diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria and cholera, and initiate programmes for the protection of reproductive health and the improvement of mental health. So far it has not received any donation, or even pledge.

While the United Nations consolidated appeal, of which WHO's request for $9 million is a part, is due to be launched later in October, WHO is in needs of funds now, Dr Leus said. "We at WHO have limited flexibility to take money away from other priority health areas so we have to raise the money we need for an emergency such as this one from extraordinary sources."

"Humanitarian aid and reconstruction without the public health component will be partial and will fail to address the needs of people and communities. WHO is ready to play its role in Timor. The challenge now is to get support from donors," affirmed WHO Director-General Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland.

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