News 2009
Twelve AMS Students Complete Research Projects in International Health
Twelve undergraduate medical students completed their AMS year in International Health in 2008-09 and presented their research projects in a one-day conference on 28 May. Travelling as far afield as Cambodia, India, Nepal and Vietnam for their fieldwork, their research topics covered such areas as disability issues related to leprosy and rheumatic heart disease, health care seeking behaviour of women with disabilities, maternal and child health, mental health, dengue mitigation project, online peer counselling, school-age youth and tobacco use and contraceptive choices of young unmarried women.
During the Conference, prize for being the achiever of top mark overall in AMS in International Health in 2007-8 was presented to Helen Kim Hong Nguyen. Her research project was conducted in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, entitled, “Guiding Change: Provider voices in youth pre-abortion counselling in urban Vietnam.”
GFATM Review Cambodia
The Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) is a global public/private partnership purposely formed to disburse funds and 
additional resources to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. It is a unique partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities. The Global
Fund works in close collaboration with other bilateral and multilateral organizations to supplement existing efforts dealing with these three diseases.
Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has become the main source of finance for programs to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, with approved funding of US$11.4 billion for more than 550 programs in 136 countries.Cambodia has had considerable success in obtaining grant approval for GFATM funding. Since submitting its first Country Coordinated Proposal in March 2002, 13 grants have been approved including a Rolling Continuation Channel (RCC) of funding for Round 2 Malaria.
In November and December of 2008 and January of 2009, the Nossal Institute for Global Health was commissioned to undertake a Midterm Review of Round 5 and End of Term Review of Round 2 GFATM programs in Cambodia.
These particular rounds support HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria and Health Systems Strengthening programs implemented by 24 NGOs and National Programs, some implementing programs for more than one disease or over more than one round. The review team included Brigitte Tenni from the Nossal Institute along with three Cambodian nationals. The group assessed issues related to GFATM structures, finance,procurement and M&E policies and practices. For the Nossal staff, it was a great opportunity to meet some amazing people and witness the work being done by grassroots organisations to achieve some inspirational results in somewhat challenging circumstances.
Photo: Community Health Centre situated in Siem Reap, Cambodia
News 2008
Improving Maternal and Neonatal Health Systems in Eastern Indonesia
While Indonesia is making significant progress in achieving Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 4 (reducing child mortality), it is less likely to achieve MDG 5 (reducing maternal mortality) by the year 2015. This is particularly so in Eastern Indonesia, which generally has poorer health indicators and higher levels of poverty than other areas in the country. The Government of Indonesia’s (GoI) National Making Pregnancy Safer (MPS) Strategy (2001-2010) provides the framework for efforts to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in Indonesia. The strategy integrates supply and demand side interventions, with a focus on addressing health system constraints to service delivery, and sets targets for coverage with key MPS interventions.
Provinces and districts of eastern Indonesia, notably the province of Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), are lagging in their implementation of the MPS, and are below national levels in key indicators such as the Maternal Mortality Rate (554/100,000 in 2002-03, compared to the national rate of 307/100,000), and Infant Mortality Rate (48/1000 in 2002-03), compared to the national rate (35/1000). Performance in delivery of key aspects of MPS is also below national levels, in areas such as antenatal care (coverage of four visits 66% compared to national level of 77%); trained assistant at delivery (59% compared to national 72%), and use of family planning (34% compared to national 58%) (All 2005 data). Thus, by focusing the program to improve health outcomes for eastern Indonesia, our team will strengthen government services and allow for more efficient quality provision of services to meet demand.
AIPMNH will build on the experience of previous activities and on the ongoing Partnership of reform and decentralisation of GoI, and, by addressing system constraints, improving system governance, and introducing a performance focus through the provision of appropriate additional resources, contribute to significant improvements in outcomes at the district and provincial levels. The Partnership will work with and through GoI systems, including working to GoI planning and budgeting cycles and timelines, in a phased approach which seeks to match progressive improvements in GoI system functioning with performance incentives and increased disbursement.
For any further information regarding AIPMNH, please contact Ms Jia Zhen (8344 9127)
Advocating for Effective Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health Strategies
The Nossal Institute and World Vision Australia jointly developed and published "Reducing maternal, newborn and child deaths in the Asia Pacific: Strategies that work". This report links international evidence and effective interventions for reducing maternal, neonatal and child mortality. Eight successful development assistance activities adopting these effective interventions are used to demonstrate achievements so far. It is hoped that documenting these evidence based interventions will encourage and facilitate improvements in future global health programs.
Continuing Partnership with University of Gadjah Mada
The Nossal Institute for Global Health (through the Australian International Health Institute) has been implementing the World Vision Australia funded Supporting Human Resource Development and Health Services Reconstruction Project (SHRD & HSR) in Aceh Barat and Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Province in partnership with the University of Gadjah Mada (UGM) and Royal Children’s Hospital International (RCHI). This Project is currently undergoing completion after a six months extension. A group of 8 UGM staff visited the Nossal Institute in Melbourne from 8-19 September to document lessons and experiences learned throughout the Project contributes to future work. This activity was initiated by the Nossal Institute and supported by World Vision Australia, the Project and University of Melbourne. Our visiting colleagues attended scheduled capacity building sessions provided by the Nossal Institute and the University of Melbourne’s International Student Support Program. The group also benefited from guidance and advice from the Nossal Institute’s Senior Researchers and various Project technical advisers. While the articles are currently in development, this is a step towards facilitating better informed development assistance programs in the future and overall knowledge transfer in international development assistance.
View video podcast "After the Water Subsides"
Disability in Developing Countries Course and Seminar in September 2008
The Disability in Developing Countries course was held on 22 – 26 September, attended by 30 students from countries including India, Singapore, Bahrain, Cambodia and Malaysia.
A seminar was also held during that week, in the evening of the 24th. Two presentations were made:
“Disabled Peoples’ Organisations in Development”, by Mr Abdus Sattar Dulal, Founder and Executive Director of Bangladesh Protibandhi Kalyan Samity, and Secretary of the Disabled Peoples’ International World Council.
“Inclusion, Rights and Rehabilitation – Handicap International’s work in South Asia”, by Ms Sally Baker, Consultant and formerly South Asia Regional Coordinator for Handicap International.
Professor Graham Brown interviewed on Malaria Fight
Head of the Nossal Institute for Global Health, Professor Graham Brown was interviewed on ABC radio and News Hour with Jim Middleton on the $US 3 billion to be dedicated to eradicating malaria.
ABC TRANSCRIPT: http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2375660.htm
ABC AUDIO: http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/audio/pm/200809/20080926-pm05-malariafight.mp3
NEWSHOUR VIDEO: http://australianetwork.com/newshour/archives.htm?site=October2008
Richard Nesbit of WHO Visits the Nossal
The Nossal was delighted to host a visit to the Institute by Dr Richard Nesbit on the 29 July. Richard, the Director, Program Management, of the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region Office is normally based in Manila.
He scheduled time during travels in Australia to meet with Nossal staff to discuss areas of common interest and prospective collaboration. During discussions specific focus was given to health systems strengthening and the AusAID-funded Health Knowledge Hubs in which Nossal plays a key role.
The University of Melbourne and the Nossal Institute have a longstanding and excellent association with WHO. Richard’s visit on this occasion reinforces this significant relationship and marks potential expansion of joint work to other themes crucial to public health.
Nossal Institute Postgraduate Research Scholarships
Two postgraduate scholarships in global health have just been announced.
- Ms Caroline Chua, an international student, will undertake a doctoral programme to study Immune response to malaria in pregnancy.
- Dr Amy Gray will study the impact of incorporating the World Health Organization guidelines into postgraduate paediatric training programmes in Lao PDR.
Graduated Student Gets Tobacco Study Published
Former Master of Public Health by research student, Mubeen Syed Muhammed, has published his master's research in the Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association. Nossal researcher Martha Morrow and La Trobe University colleague, Simon Barraclough, co-authored the paper which is entitled "Smoking among future doctors in a “No Smoking” university campus in Karachi, Pakistan: issues of tobacco control".
Mubeen, who has returned to his home campus in Pakistan, is urging university authorities to implement tobacco control and is now supervising some local students doing research in the same field.
Nossal Institute named one of four national global health hubs
Pictured: Graham Brown, Mr Bob McMullan, Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance, Peter Deutschmann, Krishna Hort at the Hub partnership launch with Mr McMullan on April 9 in Melbourne
The University of Melbourne’s Nossal Institute for Global Health was announced by Parliamentary Secretary Bob McMullan as one of four Health Knowledge Hubs established by the Australian Government’s AusAID department.
$24 million over four years will be invested in the Hubs, which are set up to improve health-sector development in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Nossal Institute’s Hub will focus on health policy and health financing issues.
Head of the Institute, Professor Graham Brown says the partnership is a huge coup for the University.
“As a relatively new institute, we’re delighted to be a partner and recognised as one of four key players in Global Health in Australia,” he said.
“Health policy and health financing are major barriers to improvements in health systems in developing countries,”
“The funds will be used to build a resource centre that helps improve the quality of Australia’s aid,” he said.
The remaining three Hubs were established with the University of New South Wales; the University of Queensland; and the Centre for International Child Health, Menzies School of Health Research and the Burnet Institute.
Eleven AMS Students Complete Research Projects in International Health
Eleven undergraduate medical students completed their AMS year in international health in 2007-8 and presented their research projects in a one-day conference in late May. Travelling as far afield as Cambodia, China, India, Nepal and Vietnam for their research, their topics covered such areas as disability, maternal health, mental health, impacts of pesticide and rainwater collection on health, pre-abortion counselling, adherence to antiretroviral therapy and HIV-related stigma. During the Conference, two prizes were presented to AMS students in the 2006-7 cohort:
Nelu Jayawardena achieved the top mark overall. Her research project was conducted in Sri Lanka, entitled, “What challenges, if any, do public health midwives in Beruwala, Sri Lanka face? What are their roles and expectations, and what is the impact of their current training and supervision?”
Lee Yung Wong was given special commendation for being one of the five winners of the second joint essay competition, Young Voices in Research for Health, sponsored by the Global Forum for Health Research and The Lancet in 2007. The theme was ‘Equitable access: research challenges for health in developing countries’ and there were 289 entries from 60 different countries The topic of Lee’s winning essay was “The face of equitable access: going beyond health to life for all” which was based on his AMS research experience in Rangoon, Myanmar.
Pictured: Nelu Jayawardena (above right) and Lee Yung Wong (above left) receiving their prize from Professor Graham Brown.
Nossal Scholarship student appears on popular TV show
Student, David Williams appeared on ABC's Foreign Correspondent screened on 19 February 2008. Details of the story can found on the Foreign Correspondent website.
Global Mental Health – A collaborative effort
The Nossal Institute for Global Health recently joined forces with the Centre for International Mental Health (CIMH) and the School of Population Health to co-host a successful forum on Global Mental Health.
The forum raised key issues in the area including the interface of mental health with other public health priorities; the scarcity, inequity and inefficiency of global mental health resources; the evidence for the treatment and prevention of mental disorders in low and middle income countries; the performance of individual nations on a range of mental health indicators; and the barriers to improving mental health services.
The University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor International, Professor Frank Larkins and the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science, Professor James Angus opened the forum and speakers included Professor Rob Moodie (Nossal Institute for Global Health), Associate Professor Alex Cohen (Department of Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School) and Associate Professor Harry Minas (Director, CIMH).
Hear an Mp3 Associate Professor Harry Minas speak on SBS radio on the need of overseas aid to combat the chronic neglect of mentally ill people in developing countries.