Australia’s investment in PATH is helping to advance diagnostic tools for malaria and neglected tropical diseases through research, development, and clinical evaluation. This investment represents a product development partnership between PATH, Burnet Institute and WEHI. This work supports Australian manufacturers to generate tools needed for the availability of novel malaria rapid diagnostic tests, and assays for malaria relapse risk assessment and treatment.

Australia’s partnership with Medicine for Malaria Venture (MMV) is supporting the research and development of malaria treatment and prevention products. This includes new chemical entities for malaria case management and prevention; new intramuscular chemoprevention candidates to provide coverage longer than three months; and the first-ever malaria relapse prevention candidate free of G6PD (an enzyme that helps red blood cells work correctly) -deficiency liabilities.

Australia is supporting Medicines Development for Global Health (MDGH) to advance the development and delivery of two medicines, moxidectin and dovramilast, for the treatment of some of the world’s most challenging, disfiguring and stigmatising infectious diseases. Scabies, lymphatic filariasis and leprosy type 2 reaction negatively impact the lives of hundreds of millions of people globally and have some of the highest reported prevalence rates in the Indo-Pacific.

Australia has been supporting the Burnet Institute, PNG Institute of Medical Research and PNG National Department of Health to implement the Stronger Surveillance for Vector Borne Pathogens (STRIVE) program in Papua New Guinea since 2018 and is committed to the effective delivery of Phase 2.

Australia is recommitting its support to the PNG Institute of Medical Research (PNGIMR) to continue institutional strengthening via the Strengthening Research and Operational Needs through Good Infrastructure and Modernisation (STRONGIM IMR) program. This investment builds on our partnership dating back to 2019, with a focus on building safe, accessible and productive workplaces; installing IT improvements and upgrades; strengthening the capacity to conduct collaborative and impactful research in emerging fields ; and fortifying administrative and support services.

Australia is continuing its support for HIV testing and treatment initiatives in Papua New Guinea through the ACTUP-PNG program. 

IVCC develops innovative vector control tools to guard against malaria and dengue-carrying mosquitoes. With DFAT support, IVCC will expand a vector control toolbox tailored to Indo-Pacific contexts, better equipping countries to prevent and manage outbreaks and ultimately eliminate Vector Borne Diseases.
Activities include: