During both animal and human disease outbreaks, field epidemiologists (‘disease detectives’) are needed to help identify the source, trace and predict the spread and plan the best response. But there are insufficient field epidemiologists in many developing countries including in the Indo-Pacific region. There is also a lack of trained experts to help these countries implement their animal health plans.
Australia works alongside and funds World Health Organization to exercise its mandate in coordinating the International Health Regulations, and views this as fundamental for global health security.
The World Bank’s Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEF) is a quick-disbursing financing mechanism that provides a surge of funds to enable a rapid and effective response to a large-scale infectious disease outbreak in the world’s poorest countries.
The Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security aims to support PNGIMR to build its role as the lead institution for medical and health systems research in PNG.
The Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Securirty funds specialist technical advisers in the Pacific Community's Public Health Division and supports the regional Field Epidemiology Training Program.
One of the Centre’s core principles is that health security cannot be achieved without a One Health approach. Approximately 75% of newly emerging infectious diseases are zoonoses (diseases that can transmit from animals to humans) that result from various anthropogenic, genetic, ecologic, socioeconomic and climatic drivers.
What is One Health?
The South East Asia LABoratory Strengthening project (SEALAB) will deliver intensive training that focuses on laboratory systems and networks and explores options to maximize the use of resources for sustainable improvement.
The Accelerating the UPtake of HIV Drug Resistance surveillance initiatives (ACT-UP PNG) aim to laboratory testing and train health workers to manage patients in Mt Hagen and Port Moresby and reduce the spread of HIV drug resistance.
The Australian Red Cross will work with communities in Indonesia and Myanmar to develop plans that identify public health risks and ways the community can help to mitigate these risks.
The project will establish and improve operation of national and sub-national Public Health Emergency Operations Centres in Myanmar and Laos.