Australia is supporting the second phase of the Sydney Asia-Pacific Partnership for Health Innovations and Resilient Ecosystems (SAPPHIRE) to expand beyond Fiji, Kiribati and Vietnam and into Cambodia. In partnership with the University of Sydney, SAPPHIRE emphasises community participation, infectious and chronic disease control, health system strengthening, One Health adoption, climate change adaptation, and GEDSI integration for regional health security.
SAPPHIRE projects aim to create a pathway towards the elimination of TB and leprosy in South Tarawa, Kiribati, and to develop an integrative approach One Health surveillance and action in the Pacific. SAPPHIRE projects in Vietnam and Cambodia will use community-based solutions to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), TB and chronic lung disease. By utilising the initiative’s strong local partnerships – including Ministries of Health, universities, hospitals, and health services – SAPPHIRE will transition capacity to local institutions in order to ensure sustainability and ownership.
