China to enhance PNG skills on Malaria control

China to enhance PNG skills on Malaria control 

The Trilateral Malaria Project has brought in Chinese scientists to Papua New Guinea (PNG) in a bid to train local experts to help eradicate the illness altogether.
The Australia-China-Papua New Guinea Pilot Cooperation on Malaria Control Project, has supported a team of five leading scientists from China’s National Institute of Parasitic Disease (NIPD) to deliver two weeks of training to 25 molecular biologists. This includes clinical researchers and epidemiologists from PNG’s National Department of Health (NdoH), Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL), Institute of Medical Research (PNG IMR), and School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
The project is funded by the Australian Government and supports leading experts from all three countries to improve Malaria diagnosis and carry out research in order to improve malaria policy and program decision-making.
CPHL Director Dr Evelyn Lavu stated that she was grateful to the three governments for the opportunity provided to train PNG experts.
“We are grateful to the Governments of Australia and China, as well as our own Government, for supporting the opportunity to continue building our skills in these critical scientific areas, and especially to learn a lot from China’s hands-on elimination experiences,” said Dr Lavu.
Dr Livingstone Tavul, Head of Molecular Parasitology Unit at PNG IMR, also reflected on the value of local partnerships that have formed since the project commenced.
“One of the greatest aspects of this project is the way it brings together PNG’s leading and emerging scientists from the health department, medical schools, laboratories and research institutes; enabling cross-agency collaboration which is critical to making real and lasting progress into combating this deadly disease.”
The training program builds on previous modules delivered to the participants at NIPD in Shanghai, China last year with the overall goal of improving Malaria detection and surveillance.
Importantly, the project is in line with the recent communiqué signed by PNG’s Prime Minister (PM) Peter O’Neil at the Commonwealth Heads of Malaria Summit in China. The PM confirmed that to maintain global focus on eliminating malaria, PNG is committed to eliminating malaria from the country, from Melanesia, from the Pacific region, and from the Commonwealth.

Picture: Chinese and PNG Biologists at the CPHL/ PNGFM/PNG Today