Health Record Rights Index · country brief · this country's data as of October 1, 2026
Who holds the health record in Timor-Leste?
In 2026, Timor-Leste scores 28 out of 100 for how much say a person has over their own health record. It is tied for 172nd of 198 countries and territories, and could rank anywhere from 144th to 187th allowing for scoring error, in the Weak band (25 to 44). Who holds the keys: the government. Source: Health Record Rights Index, SuperTruth, this country's data as of October 1, 2026.
The government decides, with limited say for the person. No right is above the typical country. The closest is your say over research use (45 out of 100, against 46 for the typical country). The furthest behind is protection from sale and ads (22 out of 100, against 45 for the typical country).
Timor-Leste's Constitution promises access to personal data, but no data protection law is in force and a draft only went to consultation in August 2026.
Published · updated · this country's data as of October 1, 2026 · research tool, not legal advice
overall score · Weak band, 25 to 44
28/100
rank among 198 countries and territories; likely 144th to 187th, allowing for scoring error
In 2026, getting your full record scores 30 out of 100 in Timor-Leste; the typical country scores 40 to 45. Article 38 of the Constitution gives citizens a right of access to personal data in computer and manual records, but the law meant to set its conditions does not exist. We found no right to a copy of a medical record and no patient portal. Source: Governo de Timor-Leste, 2002, and the other sources below.
Who controls health records in Timor-Leste?
In 2026, the government holds the keys to your health record in Timor-Leste. Control over who sees it scores 28 out of 100 in Timor-Leste; the typical country scores 30. The Constitution bans computer processing of private-life data without consent, and the health law lets patients refuse care. There is no data law, no consent tool and no access log, so the Ministry of Health decides how records are used. Source: Governo de Timor-Leste, 2002, and the other sources below.
How does Timor-Leste compare?
In 2026, Timor-Leste scores 28 out of 100, against 39 for the typical country. This brief compares it with Laos (29 out of 100), Pakistan (26 out of 100) and Cambodia (25 out of 100). Source: the ranking of all 198 countries and territories.
Eight rights, compared with Laos, Pakistan, Cambodia and the typical country
Scores out of 100, by right
Getting your full record20%
30
25 · 25 · 25
Control over who sees it20%
28
28 · 25 · 25
Privacy and security15%
30
35 · 28 · 30
One record across your care15%
28
26 · 24 · 22
Protection from sale and ads10%
22
35 · 27 · 25
Doctors see it when treating you10%
20
20 · 20 · 20
Your say over research use5%
45
45 · 45 · 45
Rules for AI in your care5%
20
35 · 22 · 18
Black dot: Timor-Leste. Hollow dots: Laos, Pakistan, Cambodia (scores out of 100 on the right, same order). Gray line: the typical country of all 198. Overall: Timor-Leste 28 out of 100. Scores move in steps of about 5 points, so read a rank with its likely range.
What would Timor-Leste need to change to score higher?
Timor-Leste sits in Weak (25 to 44); Mixed starts at 45. Its two weakest rights, compared with the typical country and weighted by how much each counts, are protection from sale and ads (22 out of 100, against 45 for the typical country) and privacy and security (30 out of 100, against 45 for the typical country). Our scoring rules give more points for:
Protection from sale and ads: Clear limits on selling health data or using it for ads, covering apps and data brokers as well as doctors and hospitals.
Privacy and security: A health data regulator that is independent and actually acts: it decides cases about health records, breaches must be reported, and fines are applied.
Which laws give health record rights in Timor-Leste?
Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Articles 36, 38, 57 (2002): Right of access to personal data; consent needed to process private-life data; right to health.
Law No. 10/2004 on the Health System: Users' rights to confidentiality and information; clinical information exchange between levels; trials law promised.
Decree-Law on Private Health Units (2004): Private clinics must register all patients and keep clinical files confidential.
Doctors, waits and private care context, not part of the score
Doctors per 10,000
7.7 2023
Nurses and midwives per 10,000
15.2 2023
Private insurance + out-of-pocket
10.3% 2017
Record reaches private care?
unknown
Real cases
March 20, 2026 · Diligente Municipal health service admits running blood tests patients are never told about
April 25, 2026 · Diligente One in five surveyed patients say their health status was disclosed without consent
In 2026, Timor-Leste scored 28 out of 100 for how much say a person has over their own health record, tied for 172nd of 198 countries and territories (could be 144th to 187th), in the Weak band. Who holds the keys: the government. Source: Health Record Rights Index, SuperTruth, this country's data as of October 1, 2026, https://healthrecordrights.com/brief/timor-leste/
The 15 sources for Timor-Leste
Each source appears once, under the first right it supports. Titles are shown as our research agents recorded them, usually in the page's own language; text in square brackets is our machine translation. Links were checked on the date shown.
Getting your full record (4 sources)
“Constituição da República Democrática de Timor-Leste” [Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste] our machine translation
Governo de Timor-Leste [Government of Timor-Leste] (law or regulation) · Title in Portuguese
Dated 2002 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
Used for: Getting your full record; Control over who sees it; Privacy and security; Protection from sale and ads
“Esbosu Lei Protesaun Dadus Pessoais: Proposta de Lei da Proteção de Dados Pessoais” [Draft Personal Data Protection Law: Personal Data Protection Bill] our machine translation
Ministério da Justiça [Ministry of Justice] (government guidance) · Title in Tetum
No date recorded · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
Used for: Getting your full record; Control over who sees it; Privacy and security; Protection from sale and ads; Your say over research use
“Governo entrega ao Parlamento Nacional proposta de autorização legislativa em matéria de cibersegurança” [Government submits to the National Parliament a proposal for legislative authorisation on cybersecurity] our machine translation
Governo de Timor-Leste [Government of Timor-Leste] (government guidance) · Title in Portuguese
Dated July 31, 2026 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
“Ministro da Saúde lança segunda fase do Programa Nacional de Saúde na Família” [Minister of Health launches second phase of the National Family Health Programme] our machine translation
Governo de Timor-Leste [Government of Timor-Leste] (government guidance) · Title in Portuguese
Dated March 16, 2018 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
Used for: One record across your care; Doctors see it when treating you
“Ministério da Justiça abre consulta pública sobre lei de proteção de dados pessoais” [Ministry of Justice opens public consultation on personal data protection law] our machine translation
Rádio Rafa (news) · Title in Portuguese
Dated August 6, 2026 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
“Diploma Ministerial 1/2014, Gabinete de Ética e Controlo de Qualidade” [Ministerial Diploma 1/2014, Office of Ethics and Quality Control] our machine translation
Jornal da República [Official Gazette of the Republic] (law or regulation) · Title in Portuguese
Dated January 30, 2014 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
SuperTruth Inc. · 24 S. 24th St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA · +1 215 918 4140 · supertruth.ai Something wrong? Tell us · Questions or a briefing: supertruth.ai/on-the-record#contact · Full index: healthrecordrights.com
OECD: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (38 mostly high-income countries). DTI™: the Data Trust Index, which grades the evidence behind each score. SuperTruth makes it and publishes this index. Everything here comes from public information: laws, government and regulator pages, court decisions, published news, WHO, OECD and World Bank data. Full sources: https://healthrecordrights.com/brief/timor-leste/#sources. SuperTruth built this index and sells health data verification products; no one paid to be included. Research tool, not legal advice. Our scores and our own words are CC BY 4.0; quoted law and source titles stay with their owners.
