Aleesha Kalulu

Aleesha is an early career public health researcher with experience in infectious disease surveillance, outbreak preparedness and applied research in Pacific Island settings, particularly Vanuatu.

Her work focuses on strengthening surveillance systems and supporting the use of data to inform public health decision-making. Much of her current work centres on the triple elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B, where she supports surveillance, program implementation and the use of routine data to track progress and guide planning.

Before joining Burnet, Aleesha worked with the National Surveillance and Research Unit at the Vanuatu Ministry of Health. During this time, she led the development and implementation of the vaccine safety surveillance and vaccine-preventable disease reporting systems, while also contributing to broader surveillance and outbreak response activities.

• 2024–present: MSc, Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• 2022–2024: PGCert, Field Epidemiology, Fiji National University, Fiji
• 2024: FETPNG, University of Newcastle, Australia
• 2020: BPH, University of Canberra, Australia 

• 2024–present: Research Officer, Burnet Institute
• 2022–2023: Epidemic Intelligence Fellow, Field Epidemiology Fellowship Program, WHO Western Pacific Regional Office, Manila
• 2021–2024: Senior Vaccine safety surveillance officer, Vanuatu Ministry of Health

• 2025: Crockett‐Murphy Travel Award
• 2024: Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship
• 2023: Alumnus of the Year, Australian Awards Vanuatu
• 2021: Best presentation by an early career researcher, Vanuatu Health Research Symposium
• 2016: Scholarship, Australian Awards Vanuatu