Within the Ministry of Health, the National Cabinet of Quality Assurance in Health (CQAH) supports quality improvement work in the country.

The CQAH, supported by WHO and UNICEF, has embarked on an initiative to build capacity for quality improvement practice across the health system through comprehensive quality improvement (CQI), starting in four pilot municipalities (Viqueque, Ermera, Baucau and Oe-Cuss), as part of its efforts to embed a culture of quality in everyday work. This has so far involved building their own capacity through participating in the WHO SEARO “training of trainer” sessions for Point of Care Continuous Quality Improvement (POCQI), rolling out CQI training to the four selected pilot municipalities and 14 facilities, and providing initial quality mentoring and coaching to these pilot sites to help catalyse initial improvement projects. The Cabinet has also developed a draft tool book for continuous quality improvement and a leadership manual and has begun rolling out maternal and newborn standards of care.