JAKARTA (UCAN): The government of Timor-Leste approved a food basket program to support vulnerable families and ensure economic recovery at national and local level amid a spike in Covid-19 cases.
The number of active cases had reached 1,445 as of February 13 with an average of 150 new cases being detected daily.
The increase in new cases occured mainly in the capital, Dili, and authorities believe the country may be entering a third wave of the pandemic.
“The basket consists of food products and personal hygiene items. The description, quantity and price of which will be determined by joint order of members of the government responsible for trade and industry and cooperatives. This basket can be replaced with a shopping voucher,” the government said in a statement.
It explained that the programme “intends to continue the availability of basic needs on the one hand, to ensure the sustainability of households, and, at the same time, to create normal conditions for the activities of producers and national economic actors in the face of declining demand.”
Families with a monthly income of is less than US$500 [$3,900] is entitled to receive US$50 [$390] worth of assistance throughout 2022. However, families with members holding management positions or heading departments of public administration services of the state are not be eligible.
The measure, presented by the coordinating minister for economic affairs and approved at the meeting of the council of ministers, should help combat hunger and greater vulnerabilities in some of the poorest and most isolated regions of the country and to contribute to improving the food and nutritional diet of families affected by the pandemic.
The government launched its first food basket programme in October 2020.
Since the start of the pandemic, Timor-Leste has recorded 124 deaths and 21,631 cases of Covid-19. Vaccination efforts are still underway with 84.3 per cent of the population having received at least one dose. Some 71 per cent are fully vaccinated.
