Australian and Papua New Guinean research groups will work in partnership to address malaria, tuberculosis and other health security threats, under a new grants program funded by the Australian government.
Research projects relating to PNG are collectively worth more than K18 million. These grants will bring together a combination of Australian and PNG institutions, researchers, officials and clinicians, together with regional and international specialists.
Australian institutions including the University of Newcastle, Menzies School of Health and Burnet Institute will partner with PNG institutions including the Health Department, University of PNG, the Central Public Health Laboratory, and the PNG Institute of Medical Research.
The grants will help PNG’s health workforce and policy makers to identify and address the country’s health security threats, including multi-drug resistant malaria and tuberculosis. Research topics will include how to improve real-time surveillance of mosquito borne diseases, including malaria, and how to improve early warning of drug and insecticide resistance.
Launching the grants recently in the presence of the Minister for Health and HIV/AIDS Sir Dr Puka Temu, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop noted that Australia is supporting public health systems in the region through sending Australian health professionals into the region and bringing health professionals to Australia.
The grants are part of the Australian government’s $300 million health security initiative for the Indo-Pacific, helping countries in the region to respond to the threat of infectious diseases by strengthening prevention, detection and response capacity.