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Improving the health of vulnerable communities and changing lives is at the heart of what we do and who we are.
The largest nation in the Pacific, PNG is classified as a low middle-income country. Close to 90 percent of the population live in rural areas and access to these widely scattered communities is often difficult, slow and expensive. Violence against women and achieving gender equality remain major challenges. The country is a signatory to the World Health Organization’s Millennium Development Declaration.
The major health problems currently affecting PNG according to the World Health Organization are:
Communicable diseases, with malaria, tuberculosis, diarrhoeal diseases, and acute respiratory disease the major causes of morbidity and mortality.
A generalised HIV epidemic driven mainly by heterosexual transmission.
Rates of infant and child mortality are high compared to other countries in the Asia Pacific region.
Maternal mortality remains very high.
For more than a decade, Burnet has addressed some of PNG’s critical health problems by implementing community-based programs using international development and public health principles. We have also undertaken social and clinical research, supporting the development of an improved evidence base to inform policy development.
Partnering with both government and non-government health agencies and regional research networks, we have focused on major health issues such as HIV, alcohol and other drugs use, sexual health, malaria, measles, birth dose vaccines, and maternal and child health. With our extensive experience in the field, Burnet has forged a strong understanding of the diversity and complexity of health programming in PNG.
In September 2012, Institute Director and CEO, Professor Brendan Crabb signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Papua New Guinea’s Dean of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Professor Sir Isi Kevau.
The MOU outlined locating the Institute’s Port Moresby office on the University’s campus, supporting the Public Health Program of the School and developing joint research activities.
“This MOU reflects our commitment to work closely with key local partners in PNG to help address some of the country’s most critical health issues,” Professor Crabb said.
Burnet’s head office in PNG is based in Kokopo, East New Britain.
Burnet completed its management of the AusAID-funded Tingim Laip HIV prevention project in 2010.
Our staff has also delivered:
Section 90, Lot 1 Takubar, East New Britain
Mailing: PO Box 1458, Kopoko Post Office
Kokopo, East New Britain
Papua New Guinea
For more information about our work in Papua New Guinea, please contact:
Chief Operating Officer; Director, Papua New Guinea
Accelerating access to postnatal care and chlorhexidine in PNG
ANCP – Kickstarting antimicrobial resistance responses in PNG (KICK AMR)
Antenatal and postnatal care remote contacts guidance
Australia Awards Fellowship: KICK-AMR to Address Antimicrobial Resistance
Building a Centre of Excellence for Research and Training for DR-TB in Daru, Papua New Guinea
Burnet Microbiome Initiative
Clinical studies on malaria
COMBAT AMR: Mitigating the threat of Antimicrobial Resistance in Pacific Island Countries
COVID-19 Healthcare E-Learning Platform (CoHELP)
Demonstrating the impact of next generation Cepheid tools in TB
Diagnostic accuracy of Molbio Truenat for diagnosis of TB and rifampicin resistance
Discovering the mechanisms and targets of immunity against malaria
Engaging men to improve family health and prevent gender-based violence
ESCAPE-TB: Enhanced screening and preventive therapy for TB in Daru, PNG
Evaluating a highly sensitive rapid malaria diagnostic in PNG
Evelyn Lavu Travel Scholarship
Fleming Fund Country Grant – Papua New Guinea
Gender Counts
Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies
HMHB - Health Services for Postnatal and Infancy Care
HMHB: Quality of Pregnancy, Childbirth and Newborn Health Services Study
HMHB: The impact of nutrition, malaria and STIs on pregnant women and infants
Immunity to malaria and infectious diseases during pregnancy
Implementing Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services in East Asia and the Pacific Region
Improved point-of-care test to eliminate congenital syphilis
Iron deficiency anaemia and adverse birth outcomes in a malaria-endemic region of Papua New Guinea
Major advances in understanding malaria immunity and biology
NATNAT: Newly Adapted Tools and Network Against Mosquito Borne Disease Transmission
New Target Product Profiles for pre-eclampsia prevention and treatment
Optima HIV Modelling
Optima Nutrition Modelling
Optima Tuberculosis (TB) Modelling
PAVE PNG - PArtnership for Vivax Elimination
PRIME-TB: Papua New Guinea & Republic of Indonesia for the Micro Elimination of TB
Rapid and accurate diagnosis of TB: New trial in PNG
Rapid review of maternal health recommendations related to the COVID-19 pandemic
RID-TB Patient Education and Counselling
RID-TB: Reducing the Impact of Drug-Resistant TB in Western Province, PNG
Sexual and reproductive health in Asia and the Pacific
SRHIP: Sexual & Reproductive Health Integration Project
Strengthen Emergency Obstetric Newborn Care (EmONC) training through a Master Train-the-Trainer Program
STRIVE PNG: Stronger Surveillance and Systems Support for Rapid Identification and Containment of Resurgent or Resistant Vector-Borne Pathogens in Papua New Guinea
Tackling TB and HIV Together in Papua New Guinea
The EZARET Study: Exploring Zoonotic Association and Risks for Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis in PNG
The Social and Cultural Determinants of TB in Daru [SCuD-TB Daru – Study 1]
Truenat point-of-care testing in household contact screening in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea (TruePICS)
West Sepik Covid-19 Vaccination Advocacy Project
Accelerating ART initiation among Infants (AAMI Study)
HHISP: Strengthening Papua New Guinea health systems
Scenario analysis for programmatic tuberculosis control in Western Province, Papua New Guinea
To create and translate knowledge into better health, so no-one is left behind.
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