Pradet

PRADET and UNHCR established the first Referral Pathway meetings for victims of assault. December 2003 Kristina Tang finished at PRADET and went to work with the Ministry of Planning and Finance. Staff missed her and phoned every day for advice. Mira Martins da Silva became the Director of PRADET. This was a stressful time for PRADET PAMM staff. As... a result of the advice to the Minister of Health from the Australian led Saude Mental program, PRADET was no longer allowed to give medications and had to hand over the patients they were seeing. Staff were concerned about their patients as the new Saude Mental program, contrary to the initial proposal, was establishing a Director in Dili, 2 caseworkers for Dili and Oecusse but only one caseworker in the other districts. Apart from Dili and Oecusse who were given a vehicle, the only transport was/is a motorbike. Manuel Mausiri resigned from Saude Mental and Teofilo became the new head of Saude Mental. Saude Mental staff then accompanied PRADET caseworkers in the districts with Saude Mental providing the medications and PRADET providing transport, psychosocial support, including food, community education and training to other health workers. A psychiatrist from PNG, based in Lahane, supported Saude Mental for the next 5 years. The districts PRADET worked in were Dili, Liquica, Ermera, Aileu, Bobonaro, Ainaro and later Baucau and Manatuto, again focusing on the western districts and with limited resources, but able to maintain connections with the established clients.Read More