A dengue outbreak has been underway in Timor Leste (East Timor) since the start of January 2005, with hundreds of cases and multiple deaths from dengue haemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome reported by the Ministry of Health (MOH) Timor Leste. The Northern Territory Department of Health and Community Services (DHCS) received a formal request from the Minister of Health Timor Leste on 05/04/2005 to provide advice to overcome the current outbreak and for a longer-term program to combat dengue disease in Timor Leste. This request was discussed with key DHCS officers and Ausaid officers, who supported a visit by the director of Medical Entomology Branch to conduct an assessment of the current dengue control program and to provide advice on strengthening the dengue control program.