Episodes
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In the final episode of Contain This this season, we are joined by Australia’s Ambassador for Global Health, Dr Lucas de Toca PSM, and the former Ambassador for Regional Health Security, Dr Stephanie Williams, to reflect on how Australia delivers assistance for health in our region and what they see as the key challenges and priorities.
They discuss how Australia’s role in supporting our region to build resilient, equitable health systems has changed over the COVID-19 pandemic, the new International Development Policy and other recent changes, and how this will be reflected under the new Partnerships for a Healthy Region initiative.
Dr Lucas de Toca, Australian Ambassador for Global HealthDr Stephanie Williams, former Ambassador for Regional Health Security
Our speakers on this episode:We encourage you to join the conversation on X at @AmbGlobalHealth.
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In today’s episode of Contain This, we feature the Field Epidemiology in Action (FEiA) program, which trains field epidemiologists in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands to strengthen outbreak detection and response through partnership and workforce development.
The FEiA program, supported by the Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security, is currently training up to 42 staff in PNG and Solomon Islands to conduct surveillance and implement public health interventions to help health authorities respond more quickly and effectively to disease outbreaks such as COVID-19.
Our guests on this episode:
James Flint, an infectious disease epidemiologist and programme manager from the University of Newcastle.Adrian Kakayan, a nursing officer based in PNG who has recently completed the FEiA program.For more information on the FEiA program visit the website, Youtube, and X (formerly Twitter) channels.
We encourage you to join the conversation on X at @AusAmbRHS.
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The Australian Volunteers Program is an Australian Government-funded initiative that supports global volunteering across the Pacific, Asia, and Africa to achieve locally led change and the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
In this episode of Contain This, we bring you a story of how one Australian volunteer helped to support health outcomes in Vanuatu, working with the Ministry of Health in Port Vila, supported by the Australian Volunteers Program.
Chris Coles has recently wrapped up his assignment in Vanuatu, which he commenced in January 2022. Speaking while on assignment in Port Vila, Chris talks about why he was motivated to volunteer, his science background, what his work has involved in supporting Vanuatu’s COVID-19 response, the challenges he’s faced, and what he’s learnt and achieved during his assignment.
The Australian Volunteers Program fosters strong relationships between Australians and communities around the world to contribute to equitable development outcomes.
The Australian Volunteers Program is calling for Australians to register their interest or search assignments advertised on the website. There are now a range of different options to choose from including remote, in-country and hybrid assignments.
For more information visit: www.australianvolunteers.com
We encourage you to join the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) at @AusAmbRHS. -
Launched earlier this year, the sixth Global Health 50/50 report focussed for the first time on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in the workplace ranging from menstruation, abortion and menopause, to antenatal care and caring responsibilities.
Our guests on this episode are the founders of Global Health 50/50, Professor Sarah Hawkes and Professor Kent Buse.
In this episode, we discuss the latest Global Health 50/50 report, its findings, and where Sarah and Kent have seen a shift over the past six years in commitments to equality and the gender responsiveness of global health programmes.
Global Health 50/50 is an independent, evidence-driven initiative to advance action and accountability for gender equality in global health. You can visit their website here: https://globalhealth5050.org/.
Professor Sarah Hawkes is Director of the Centre for Gender and Global Health and Professor of Global Public Health at University College London and Professor Kent Buse is currently Director of the newly established global Healthier Societies Research Program at the George Institute for Global Health, with an appointment at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of New South Wales.
To read the Global Health 50/50 report visit https://globalhealth5050.org/2023-report/.
We encourage you to join the conversation on Twitter at @AusAmbRHS. -
"I want to know what to do when I get my first period and what changes to expect during puberty, so I feel prepared, assured and confident to manage them.” – Oky user
Girls have important questions about their health, and often they don’t know where to turn to find trusted, culturally sensitive information about their menstrual, sexual and reproductive health. UNICEF’s East Asia and Pacific Regional Office saw a need to close this gender digital divide and set forth to develop Oky – the world’s first period tracker app for girls and created with girls.
In today’s episode, we speak to Gerda Binder, UNICEF's advisor on gender and technology, about gender equality and digital technology in the region, and how the Oky app is helping to close that divide.
Gerda explains how the idea for the Oky app came about, the co-creation process with girls, their families, and communities, and how the app has been received in pilot countries of Indonesia and Philippines. We also discuss how her team is approaching the rollout of Oky in other countries like Papua New Guinea, where different cultural norms and religions play a part in access to an understanding of menstrual health.
Australia has provided $8 million to UNICEF to support the Oky app in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Papua New Guinea.
Find out more about the Oky app here: https://okyapp.info/
We encourage you to join the conversation and follow Australia's Ambassador for Regional Health Security Dr Stephanie Williams at @AusAmbRHS. -
What are ‘bad medicines’? How do they make it onto our shelves? And what is being done to address substandard and falsified medicines in the Indo-Pacific?
In this week’s episode, we delve into the ongoing problem of ‘bad medicines’, otherwise known as substandard and falsified medicines. Our guest is Dr. Paul Huleatt, strategic partnerships and programme implementation lead at the international regulatory branch of the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
Based in Singapore, Dr Huleatt works closely with regulators across the Indo-Pacific on a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade-funded regulatory strengthening programme. Paul also acts as the Australian Chair of the Steering Committee for the World Health Organization's Member State Mechanism on substandard and falsified medicines.
In this episode we discuss:
what ‘bad medicines’ are, how they are created, and the history of this issue that dates back 100 years the systems that are in place to detect and prevent bad medicines how the Australian Government’s Pacific Medicines Testing Program is working to detect and prevent bad medicines how the Indo-Pacific Regulatory Strengthening Program is building capacity with regulatory authorities in the Indo Pacific and providing regulatory support to countries that don't have regulatory authoritieswhat’s next in the fight against substandard and falsified medicines in the Indo-PacificYou can find out more about the WHO Member State Mechanism on Substandard and Falsified Medical Products here: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-MVP-EMP-SAV-2019.04
A link to a news article on the case study in Indonesia that is discussed in the podcast is here: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/indonesia-revokes-firms-fever-syrup-licences-amid-probe-into-150-deaths-2022-10-31/
We encourage you to join the conversation and follow Australia's Ambassador for Regional Health Security Dr Stephanie Williams at @AusAmbRHS.
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Our guest this week is Sir Jeremy Farrar, the World Health Organization’s new Chief Scientist, who took up the role earlier this year.
As Chief Scientist, Dr Farrar oversees WHO’s science division, bringing together the best brains in science and innovation from around the world.
Prior to joining WHO, Dr Farrar was the director of the Wellcome Trust, and prior to that he served as the director of the Oxford Clinical Research Unit at the hospital for tropical diseases in Vietnam for 17 years.
In this episode, we discuss:
Dr Farrar’s priorities for the science division at WHO over the next couple of years.What he sees as key innovation and research challenges and opportunities for WHO.His views on the governance of public good R&D for global health products, how the system could be improved, and the opportunities for WHO to influence that space.You can read more about WHO’s science division here: https://www.who.int/our-work/science-division
We encourage you to join the conversation at @CentreHealthSec. You can follow Australia's Ambassador for Regional Health Security Dr Stephanie Williams at @AusAmbRHS and Dr Jeremy Farrar at @JeremyFarrar.
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Our guest this week is Carolyn Reynolds, Co-founder of the Pandemic Action Network (PAN).
In this episode we discuss how Carolyn’s involvement in the response to the Ebola crisis in West Africa led her to co-found PAN; and what PAN works to achieve, particularly in the lead up to the high-level meeting on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response later this year.
We also discuss:
Some of PAN’s accomplishments responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and preventing future pandemics. The role PAN has played in the creation of The Pandemic Fund. What it means to have a civil society voice for pandemic preparedness.As well as her work with PAN, Carolyn is also a Global Health Policy Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, an expert adviser to the Commission on Strengthening America’s Health Security, and a Distinguished Fellow at The George Institute for Global Health. She has served as a senior adviser to international organizations, including the Global Financing Facility, World Bank, WHO, and Global Preparedness Monitoring Board.
You can find out more about the Pandemic Action Network here. You can also follow PAN on Twitter at @PandemicAction.
More on the World Bank’s announcement of the first round of funding for The Pandemic Fund is available at this link.
We encourage you to join the conversation on Twitter at @CentreHealthSec and @AusAmbRHS -
Welcome to the second part of our insights from the Global Health Division at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Climate, Health and International Development Seminar.
The seminar explored the impacts of climate change and health, its relevance to health policy and programming in the Australian aid program, and how to build climate adaptation into health programs throughout the aid cycle, from concept and design, to implementation, monitoring and evaluation. It was supported by the Specialist Health Service (SHS).
In Part One of this two-part series, we heard from Professor Kathryn Bowen from the University of Melbourne, who presented on climate change and impacts on health in our region.
Today, we bring you insights from Paul Mitchell, Save the Children’s Principal Climate Change Adviser. Paul is the lead technical advisor for Save the Children’s engagement with global climate funds, including the Green Climate Fund, providing high level technical advice, oversight and quality control for all proposals. He also provides strategic leadership on technical issues related to Save the Children’s climate change programming across sectors, with a particular focus on child-centred approaches, community-based and locally led adaptation; capacity building and development/strengthening of systems and governance processes for adaptation at all levels. Previously, Paul managed the Australian aid program's International Climate Change Adaptation Initiative. With nearly 20 years of experience in climate change and development, Paul has developed, implemented, monitored, and evaluated adaptation projects and strategies at local, national and regional scales across the Pacific, South and Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean.You can access the slides from Paul’s presentation here.
We encourage you to join the conversation at @CentreHealthSec. You can also follow Save the Children’s work on Twitter at @SaveChildrenAus and LinkedIn. -
The Global Health Division at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade recently presented the second of its Health and Development Seminar Series: Climate Change, Health and International Development, supported by the Specialist Health Service (SHS).
The seminar explored the impacts of climate change and health, its relevance to health policy and programming in the Australian aid program, and how to build climate adaptation into health programs throughout the aid cycle, from concept and design, to implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
In this episode we bring you insights from Professor Kathryn Bowen, who presented on climate change and impacts on health in our region.
Professor Bowen is Deputy Director at Melbourne Climate Futures and Professor with the Environment, Climate and Global Health at the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne. She was a lead author on the health chapter of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Working Group II, Sixth Assessment Report 2018-2022. Kathryn is an international expert on the science and policy of sustainability (particularly climate change) and health issues, with 20 years’ experience in original public health research, science assessment, capacity development and policy advice.
We encourage you to join the conversation at @CentreHealthSec. You can follow Professor Kathryn Bowen at @kathrynjbowen and Melbourne Climate Futures at @MCFunimelb. More information is also available at unimelb.edu.au/climate and www.linkedin.com/showcase/melbourneclimatefutures -
In this week’s episode, we bring you a panel discussion on how the vaccine champions programme has empowered community leaders to advocate for COVID-19 vaccines in Australia, Vietnam, and Fiji.
You will hear from three vaccination experts and leaders who are all involved in an innovative behavioural change programme known as Vaccine Champions, which was developed in Victoria, Australia and has recently been rolled out in Fiji and Vietnam.On the panel:
Sr Litiana Volavola, National Program Manager for the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) and Supply Chain and Fiji COVID-19 Vaccination Team LeadProfessor Thu Anh Nguyen from the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research in VietnamProfessor Margie Danchin, Group Leader, Vaccine Uptake, Murdoch Children’s Research InstituteIn this episode we discuss the results from the implementation of the vaccine champions programme in Australia and how it has been rolled out in Vietnam and Fiji, including:
An overview of the vaccine champions programme and what it means to be a vaccine champion. The challenges and barriers to achieving high vaccine coverage in the community such as access and acceptance. Learnings from recent trainings in Vietnam and Fiji and how the programme is supporting community leaders to advocate for COVID-19 vaccines in their communities.We encourage you to join the conversation at @CentreHealthSec. You also access the paper Vaccine Champions Training Program: Empowering Community Leaders to Advocate for COVID-19 Vaccines here: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/10/11/1893
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Our guest this week is Dr James Kelley, Team Lead for Malaria and Vector-borne Diseases in the World Health Organization’s Western Pacific Regional Office. In honour of World Malaria Day 2023, Dr Kelley describes the status of the epidemic globally and in the Indo-Pacific Region.
We also discuss:
Getting the Global Technical Strategy target of reducing global malaria incidence and mortality rates by at least 90% by 2030 back on track.Recent developments in malaria prevention technologies, including new insecticide-treated nets and malaria vaccines.The potential impact of increased urbanisation on malaria risk.Progress on antimalarial drug resistance in the Greater Mekong subregion.You can read more about the Global Technical Strategy here and the latest World Malaria Report here. We encourage you to join the conversation on Twitter at @CentreHealthSec. You can follow Dr Kelley on @JFKWPRO.
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Our guest this week is Ms Hang Nguyen, the Vietnam Country Director for MSI Reproductive Choices, formerly Marie Stopes International.
With almost 9000 staff working across 37 countries, MSI works to ensure that reproductive choice is possible through access to advice, contraception, and safe abortion.
Hang has held the position of Vietnam Country Director for MSI for 18 years. She has been recognised by the Ministry of Health and the international NGO community in Vietnam for her leadership of the most innovative and sustainable foreign NGO in Vietnam.
In this episode we discuss:
Hang’s work with MSI over the past 18 years.The global challenges in satisfying unmet demand for sexual and reproductive health services.The specific challenges that women face in accessing sexual and reproductive health services in Vietnam.How MSI works in partnership with public and private health service providers, international development organisations, and businesses to expand the availability of essential services and advance women's sexual and reproductive health and rights in Vietnam.We encourage you to join the conversation on Twitter at @CentreHealthSec. You can follow MSI Reproductive Choices on Twitter at @msichoices.
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In this second episode of our two-part series on disability and healthy equity, our guest this week is Villaney Remengesau, based in Palau, who is the co-chair of the Pacific Disability Forum.
Lany is a dedicated advocate for disability rights and inclusion across the Pacific. She was recently awarded the Disability Pasifika Award – the highest award for a person with a disability who has made a valuable contribution to the work in the region.
To complement Part One of this series with Darryl Barrett from WHO, in this episode, Lany brings her lived experience of disability to the discussion around health equity for persons with disabilities, having worked in the health sector in Palau for 10 years.
In this episode we discuss:
The barriers faced by people with disabilities in accessing health care.The importance of ensuring people with disabilities are engaged in health programs.Her key recommendations for how development partners working in health can ensure they integrate disability inclusion into their programmes.If you missed Part One with Darryl Barrett from the World Health Organization, you can listen to it here: https://containthis.buzzsprout.com/620797/12687278-progressing-health-equity-for-persons-with-disabilities-darryl-barrett-who-part-1
You can also access the WHO Global Report on Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities, December 2022 here: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240063600
We encourage you to join the conversation on Twitter at @CentreHealthSec. You can follow the Pacific Disability Forum at @PDFSEC.
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Our guest this week is Dr Amelia Afuhaʻamango Tuʻipulotu, the World Health Organization’s new Chief Nursing Officer.
Dr Amelia was the Kingdom of Tonga’s first female Minister for Health and the first Tongan to receive a Ph.D. in Nursing. Her previous roles also include Chief Nursing Officer of Tonga and Director of Nursing at Vaiola Hospital. Dr Amelia took up her role at the WHO earlier this year.
In this episode we discuss:
Dr Amelia’s initial priorities in her new role.Pivotal moments in Dr Amelia’s career.How her Tongan values shape her leadership approach.The actions health ministries should take to support nurses against the backdrop of a declining workforce.You can read more about the Emergency Care campaign here. We encourage you to join the conversation on Twitter at @CentreHealthSec. You can follow Dr Amelia at @AfuhaAmelia
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Our guest this week is Darryl Barrett, technical lead for disability with the World Health Organization in Geneva, who joins us to discuss the WHO Global Report on Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities. The report was released in December 2022, 10 years after the publishing of the World Report on Disability in 2011.
An estimated 1.3 billion people (16% of the global population) currently experience a significant disability. The WHO report highlights that while some progress has been made in recent years, the world is still far from realising the right to health for many people with disability.
In this episode, we discuss:
The significance of the WHO Global Report on Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities.The contributing factors that lead to health inequities for people with disability.Intersectionality and the compounding discrimination that women and girls with disability are more likely to face. How we should consider moving forward to improve health outcomes and equity for persons with disabilities.You can access the WHO Global Report on Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities, December 2022 here: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240063600
We encourage you to join the conversation on Twitter at @CentreHealthSec.
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Our guest this week is Dr Sharon Salmon, technical officer for the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), hosted by the World Health Organization. GOARN is a network of over 250 technical institutions and networks globally that respond to acute public health events with the deployment of staff and resources to affected countries.
Dr. Salmon is based at the Western Pacific Regional Office of WHO working in the emergency management operations of the World Health Emergencies Programme. Prior to this, Dr Salmon worked for the Ministry of Health in Singapore and as a technical officer for WHO in Vietnam and Philippines.
In this episode, we discuss:
Dr Salmon’s work with GOARN.How GOARN operates the importance of partnerships, particularly in the Western Pacific region. Some of the challenges GOARN faced in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.Reflections on some of Dr Salmon’s deployments to Liberia during the 2014 Ebola outbreak.The key priorities for GOARN’s recently launched 2022 - 2026 Strategy.We encourage you to join the conversation on Twitter at @CentreHealthSec. You can also follow GOARN at @WHOGOARN and https://goarn.who.int/
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We are proud to present the 2022 Annual Ruth Bishop Address.
Professor Ruth Bishop AC led a team of researchers to the landmark discovery of rotavirus in 1973, a major breakthrough in tackling one of the most significant causes of infant mortality worldwide. The team’s discovery kick-started the successful 30-year endeavour to develop a rotavirus vaccine.
In 2019, the Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security established an annual health security address, named in honour of the Australian scientist and microbiologist for her leadership and dedication to science and global health.
On 22 November 2022, the Centre held an In Memoriam address presented by University of Melbourne’s Professor Graeme Barnes and Professor Julie Bines following Ruth Bishop’s passing earlier this year. Ruth’s brother David Langford spoke on behalf of the family.
We encourage you to reflect on this address at @CentreHealthSec on Twitter and Facebook.
Reflections from the event
Vale Ruth, a great scientist, inspiring mentor and leader, and wonderful human being.
Jim Buttery, Murdoch Children’s Research InstituteAs a fellow virologist, I am only too aware of the positive impact that Ruth made to our community. Not only the science, which has had an enormous global health impact, but also in her mentoring of young scientists and her ongoing legacy as a role model in our discipline. She will, and is, sorely missed amongst our community.
Professor Paul Young, University of QueenslandThank you very much, I am very honoured to collaborate with the team and thank you so much Professor Bishop for her legacy and we are going continue her work with all Australian scientists, especially with Prof Julie Bines and team.
Jarir At Thobari, Universitas Gadjah Madah -
This week we continue our analysis of One Health, bringing you a discussion about how One Health approaches are being advanced in the Pacific with Dr Salanieta Taka Saketa. Dr Sala is a Senior Epidemiologist in the public health division of the Pacific community (SPC).
We discuss how priorities vary in different Pacific country contexts, the application of One Health to noncommunicable diseases, the intersection between One Health and gender and what needs to be done to strengthen the One Health approach in the region.
Dr Sala also speaks about the history of One Health in the region, and how whole of government responses to climate change-driven disasters such as cyclones have laid the foundation for using multi-sectoral approaches for disease prevention activities.
This episode comes to you from the World One Health congress which was sponsored by the Indo Pacific Centre for Health Security. Find out more at: https://worldonehealthcongress2022.miceapps.com/client/sites/view/WOH2022
For more information on Dr Sala’s work, visit:
The Pacific Community Public Health website: https://php.spc.int/Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network: https://www.pphsn.net/We encourage you to join the conversation at @CentreHealthSec and @WOHCongress.
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From the seventh World One Health Congress held earlier this month in Singapore, we bring you this conversation with Dr Osman Dar and Dr Catherine Machalaba, both members of the One Health High-Level Expert Panel.
In this episode, we explore what One Health is, approaches in practice, including addressing Nipah virus in Malaysia, how the value of One Health interventions can be measured, finishing with some causes of concern when it comes to realising One Health—and where there is room for optimism.
Guests:
Dr Osman Dar, Consultant in Global Health at the UK Health Security Agency and Project Director for the Global Health Program at Chatham HouseDr Catherine Machalaba, Principal Scientist for Health and Policy at EcoHealth AllianceThe World One Health Congress was sponsored by the Indo Pacific Centre for Health Security. Find out more at: https://worldonehealthcongress2022.miceapps.com/client/sites/view/WOH2022
We encourage you to join the conversation on Twitter at @CentreHealthSec and @WOHCongress.
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