Background

An infectious diseases physician, Dr Suman Majumdar is Deputy Program Director, Health Security at Burnet Institute, and a member of the Tuberculosis Working Group. He has focused skills in the clinical and programmatic management of TB/drug-resistant TB, HIV medicine, training healthcare workers, and health system strengthening.

Suman has worked in a variety of contexts, implementing TB/HIV and global health programs in Timor-Leste, China, India, Mexico, Swaziland and regions of the former Soviet Union.

He has a passion for working in global health through sustainable partnerships and building local capacity. His work aims to redress health inequalities resulting from infectious diseases and enhance health service delivery in low and middle-income countries by providing technical support, training and conducting operational/implementation research.

Additional publications:

• http://theconversation.com/time-to-turn-back-the-tide-of-drug-resistant-tuberculosis-23720

Appointments

• Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians
• Member of the Royal College of Physicians, London
• Member of the Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases
• Member of the Australasian Society for HIV medicine
• Member of Médecins Sans Frontières Australia Association
• Member of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease

Positions

• 2017: Deputy Program Director, Health Security, Burnet Institute
• 2013: Infectious Diseases Specialist, Centre for International Health, Burnet Institute
• 2013-present: Consultant Infectious Diseases Physician, International Travel Health, The Alfred, Melbourne
• 2013: TB/HIV Program Implementer – Médecins Sans Frontières, Manson Unit, MSF UK
• 2011-2013: Clinical advisor and associate, Burnet Institute
• 2011-2013: Infectious diseases registrar, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Royal Darwin Hospital and The Alfred
• 2010: Drug-resistant TB doctor, Abkhazia/Georgia, Médecins Sans Frontières
• 2008-2009: Physician trainee; The Alfred Melbourne, Alice Springs Hospital, John Hunter Hospital Newcastle
• 2007: Project doctor, Timor-Leste, Australian Aid International
• 2004-2006: Intern, RMO; St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, Monash Medical Centre Melbourne

Qualifications

• 2013: FRACP, Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (Infectious Diseases)
• 2010: MRCP (UK), Member of the Royal College of Physicians, London
• 2007: MPH&TM, Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, Australia
• 2004: Bachelor of Medicine, University of Newcastle, Australia

Awards

• 2019: Burnet Institute Gust-McKenzie Medal
• 2013: ASID International travel award, Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases
• 2004: UMAP Scholarship, University mobility in Asia and the Pacific
• 1998: Deans Commendation for High Achievement, University of Queensland

Projects (13)

Current (11)

• 

  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

• 

  Demonstrating the impact of next generation Cepheid tools in TB

• 

  ESCAPE-TB: Enhanced screening and preventive therapy for TB in Daru, PNG

• 

  Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies

• 

  Rapid and accurate diagnosis of TB: New trial in PNG

• 

  RID-TB Patient Education and Counselling

• 

  RID-TB: Reducing the Impact of Drug-Resistant TB in Western Province, PNG

• 

  Tackling TB and HIV Together in Papua New Guinea

• 

  The Optimise Study: Optimising Isolation, Quarantine and Distancing for COVID-19

• 

  The Social and Cultural Determinants of TB in Daru [SCuD-TB Daru – Study 1]

Publications (35)

2020 (6)

• Victoria’s response to a resurgence of COVID-19 has averted 9,000-37,000 cases in July 2020.
  Saul A, Scott N, Crabb BS, Majumdar SS, Coghlan B, Hellard ME
  MJA. 2020 Aug; Preprint Epub ahead of print
• The most promising treatments for COVID-19 (Updated 6th July 2020)
  Lewin S, Copolov D, Crabb B, Cuthbertson A, Doherty P, Hoy W, Kelleher A, Majumdar S, Tachedjian G
  Rapid Res Infor Forum. 2020 May
• The most promising vaccines for COVID-19. (Updated 17.6.2020)
  Cunningham A, Chappell K, Copolov D, Crabb B, Cuthbertson A, Doherty P, Drummer H, Foley C, Godfrey D, Halton J, Kelleher A , Majumdar S, McDonald C, Munro T, Purcell D, Young P
  Rapid Res Infor Forum. 2020 May
• Scaling up tuberculosis preventive therapy for contacts in high transmission settings
  Majumdar SS, Triasih R, Grham SM
  Lancet Glob Health. 2020 May; 8:e617-e618
• Shifting the paradigm: using disease outbreaks to build resilient health systems.
  Durski KN, Osterholm M, Majumdar SS, Nilles E, Bausch DG, Atun R
  BMJ Glob Health. 2020 May; 5(5):e002499
• A strategic framework to ease community-wide Covid-19 suppression measures.
  Coghlan B, Majumdar SS, Pedrana A, Hellard ME, Crabb BS
  MJA. 2020 Apr; Epub ahead of print

2019 (10)

• The SORT IT model for building operational research capacity: the experience of TB service providers in PNG.
  Aia P, Majumdar SS, Pomat W, Tefuarani N, Graham SM, Dakulala P
  Pub Health Act. 2019 Sep; 9(Supplement 1):S1-S2
• The emergency response to multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Daru, Western Province, Papua New Guinea, 2014–2017
  Morris L, Hiasihri S, Chan G, Honjepari A, Tugo O, Taune M, Aia P, Dakulala P, Majumdar, SS
  Pub Health Act. 2019 Sep; 9(Supplement 1):S4-S11
• Successful implementation of bedaquiline for multidrug-resistant TB treatment in remote Papua New Guinea.
  Taune M, Ustero P, Hiashiri S, Huang K, Aia P, Morris L, Main S, Chan G, du Cros P, Majumdar SS
  Pub Health Act. 2019 Sep; 9(Supplement 1):S73-S79
• The effects of decentralisation of tuberculosis services in the East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea.
  Maha A, Majumdar SS, Main S, Phillip W, Witari K, Schulz J, du Cros P
  Pub Health Act. 2019 Sep; 9(Supplement 1):S43-S49
• Implementation of screening and management of household contacts of tuberculosis cases in Daru, Papua New Guinea
  Honjepari A, Madiowi S, Madjus S, Burkot C, Islam S, Chan G, Majumdar SS, Graham SM
  Pub Health Act. 2019 Sep; 9(Supplement 1):S25-S31
• Impact of GxAlert on the management of rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis patients, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
  Banamu JK, Lavu E, Johnson K, Moke R, Majumdar SS, Takarinda KC, Commons RJ
  Pub Health Act. 2019 Sep; 9(Supplement 1):S19-S24
• Drug-resistant tuberculosis diagnosis since Xpert® MTB/RIF introduction in Papua New Guinea, 2012–2017
  Lavu EK, Johnson K, Banamu J, Pandey S, Carter R, Coulter C, Aia P, Majumdar SS, Marais BJ, Graham SM, Vince J
  Pub Health Act. 2019 Sep; 9(Supplement 1):S12-S18
• Telemedicine in resource-limited settings to optimize care for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.
  Huang GKL, Pawape G, Taune M, Hiasihri S, Ustero P, O'Brien DP, du Cros P, Graham S, Wootton R, Majumdar S
  Frontiers in Public Health. 2019 Aug; 7:222
• Training for Tuberculosis Elimination in Indonesia: Achievements, Reflections, and Potential for Impact.
  Main S, Lestari T, Triasih R, Chan G, Davidson L, Majumdar S, Santoso D, Phung S, Laukkala J, Graham S, du Cros P, Ralph A
  Trop Med Infect Dis. 2019 Jul; 4(3):E107
• Early success with retention in care among people living with HIV at decentralized ART satellite sites in Yangon, Myanmar, 2015–2016
  Htet KM, Soe KT, Myo Minn Oo MM, Hone S, Majumdar SS, Oo HN
  Front Pub Health. 2019 May; 7:124

2018 (3)

• Are death and loss to follow-up still high in people living with HIV on ART after national scale-up and earlier treatment initiation? A large cohort study in government hospital-based setting, Myanmar: 2013-2016.
  Aung ZZ, Oo MM, Tripathy JP, Kyaw NTT, Hone S, Oo HN, Majumdar SS
  PLoS One. 2018 Sep; 13(9):e0204550
• Evaluation of a tuberculosis active case finding project in peri-urban areas, Myanmar: 2014-2016.
  Aye S, Majumdar SS, Oo MM, Tripathy JP, Satyanarayana S, Kyaw NTT, Kyaw KWY, Oo NL, Thein S, Thu MK, Soe KT, Aung ST
  Int J Infect Dis. 2018 May; 70:93-100
• Multi-clonal evolution of multi-drug-resistant/extensively drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a high-prevalence setting of Papua New Guinea for over three decades.
  Bainomugisa A, Lavu E, Hiashiri S, Majumdar S, Honjepari A, Moke R6, Dakulala P, Hill-Cawthorne GA, Pandey S, Marais BJ, Coulter C, Coin L
  Microb Genom. 2018 Jan; 4(2):e000147

2017 (1)

• Public-private mix for tuberculosis care and control in Myanmar: a strategy to scale up?
  Thet Lwin ZM, Sahu SK, Owiti P, Chinnakali P, Majumdar SS
  Public Health Action. 2017 Mar; 7(1):15-20

2016 (5)

• Extending 'Contact Tracing' into the community within a 50-metre radius of an index tuberculosis patient Using Xpert MTB/RIF in urban, Pakistan: Did it increase case detection?
  Fatima R, Qadeer E, Yaqoob A, Haq MU, Majumdar SS, Shewade HD, Stevens R, Creswell J, Mahmood N, Kumar AM
  PLoS One. 2016 Nov; 11(11):e0165813
• Dotting the Three I's for collaborative TB-HIV activities: evaluation of a pilot programme in Kathmandu, Nepal.
  Sah SK, Sahu SK, Lamichhane B, Bhatta GK, Bhandari KB, Owiti P, Majumdar SS
  Public Health Action. 2016 Sep; 6(3):169-175
• Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. (Book Chapter)
  Majumdar S
  in "HIV Management in Australasia" Australasian Society for HIV Medicine, Sydney, Australia.. 2016 Jul
• Workshop on Prioritising New Research Areas for Tuberculosis Control in Myanmar. (Report)
  Aung ST, Saw S, Sein TT, Aung PP, Pastricha N, Chan G, Majumdar S
  Ministry of Health, Myanmar. 2016 Jul
• The Spectrum of Chromobacterium violaceum Infections from a Single Geographic Location.
  Lin YD, Majumdar SS, Hennessy J, Baird RW
  Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2016 Feb; 94(4):710-716

2015 (3)

• Overview of viral hepatitis treatment research in China. (WHO Report)
  El-Hayek C, Zou H, Hua B, Cheah S, Majumdar S, Hellard M
  WHO China. 2015 Jul
• Neonatal mortality in India's rural poor: Findings of a household survey and verbal autopsy study in Rajasthan, Bihar and Odisha.
  Dogra V, Khanna R, Jain A, Kumar AM, Shewade HD, Majumdar SS
  J Trop Pediatr. 2015 Mar; 61(3):210-214
• Adoptive T cell immunotherapy for treatment of ganciclovir-resistant cytomegalovirus disease in a renal transplant recipient.
  N Macesic, D Langsford, K Nicholls, P Hughes, D J Gottlieb, L Clancy, E Blyth, K Micklethwaite, B Withers, S Majumdar, S Fleming, J Sasadeusz
  Am J Transplant. 2015 Mar; 15(3):827-832

2014 (2)

• Calling tuberculosis a social disease--an excuse for complacency?
  Isaakidis P, Smith S, Majumdar S, Furin J, Reid T
  Lancet. 2014 Sep; 384(9948):1095
• Drug-resistant tuberculosis: collaborative regional leadership required.
  Majumdar SS, Marais BJ, Denholm JT, Britton WJ
  Med J Aust. 2014 Mar; 200(5):241-242

2013 (2)

• Tuberculosis Update: Overview Brief, Global and Papua New Guinea context. (Report)
  Tate J, Majumdar S
  AusAID Health Resource Facility. Australian Government, Canberra. 2013 Jul
• Hookworm in the Northern Territory: down but not out.
  Jane Davies, Suman S Majumdar, Robert T M Forbes, Pam Smith, Bart J Currie, Robert W Baird
  Med J Aust. 2013 Mar; 198(5):278-281

2012 (1)

• Nosocomial infections in the intensive care unit.
  Majumdar SS, Padiglione AA
  Anaesthes Intensive Care Med. 2012 May; 13(5):204-8

2011 (2)

• The 'frozen state' of drug-resistant tuberculosis: notes from the field in Abkhazia.
  S Majumdar, D O'Brien, N Hurtado, C Hewison, P du Cros
  Intern Med J. 2011 Dec; 41(12):805-808
• Drug-resistant tuberculosis in 9 high burden Asian countries. (Report)
  Majumdar S, Kong F, du Cros P, O’Brien D, Reeder J, Elliott J
  AusAID Health Resource Facility. Australian Government, Canberra. 2011 Jul

News Articles (54)

2020 (10)

• Boosting COVID-19 awareness in PNG
• Refugees at serious risk from COVID-19
• Victorian restrictions avert thousands of new infections
• Deputy Chief Medical Officer supports wearing of face masks/coverings in Melbourne when physical distancing not possible
• Funding boost to fight drug-resistant tuberculosis in Indo-Pacific
• Burnet a knowledge hub for COVID-19
• Evidence-based focus the key for Australia's COVID-19 exit strategy
• Lessons learned in global health security and solidarity: Tuberculosis and COVID-19
• Community-based empowerment is critical to end epidemics
• STOP TB Joint Action Statement

2019 (12)

• Tuberculosis initiatives draw international praise
• NHMRC Ideas Grants
• How we can end TB by 2030
• PHOTOVOICE: Voice for young at-risk TB patients
• PNG breaks new ground in tuberculosis research
• Primary carer's leave, a commitment to gender equity.
• Dr Suman Majumdar is 2019 Gust-McKenzie Medallist
• Bold strategies map out tuberculosis-free future
• Federal funding boost to address ‘superbugs’ in Asia-Pacific
• ‘It’s time to end TB’
• Focus on research to eliminate TB
• Forging closer TB ties with PNG

2018 (7)

• Creative approaches to TB elimination
• United Nations' commitment to end TB welcomed
• Addressing TB in Indonesia
• Diwe Sapa's TB journey
• Leaders for a TB-free world
• TB elimination course for Indonesian health workers
• Research focus to address TB 'global crisis'

2017 (13)

• New training for PNG TB response
• New frontiers for TB specialist
• Call for boost to TB research
• Pacific health leaders learning about antimicrobial resistance
• Burnet welcomes new regional Health Security Initiative
• Envoy calls for regional TB partnerships
• Funding for new PNG TB project
• Burnet research at World Congress on Public Health
• Leading roles for Burnet at World Congress on Public Health
• Daru unites to fight TB
• World TB Day elicits optimism
• TB fight comes to Canberra
• Support vital for patients on the TB journey

2016 (5)

• MDR-TB and malaria focus of $2 million research grant
• HMHB attracts Principal Supporter
• Link between TB, poverty explored
• Launch of Australian TB Caucus
• Boost for PNG TB project

2015 (4)

• TB Conference to lead the fight
• Burnet role in TB Forum
• Dame Carol Kidu Patron for HMHB
• Burnet supporting the fight against TB in PNG

2014 (2)

• 2014 in Review: January - June
• Drug-resistant tuberculosis: collaborative regional leadership required

2013 (1)

• Burnet launches Campaign to STOP TB