For many years academic partners in research units across the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences have been working to support and advance health and medical projects in the Greater Mekong.
This includes health and medical researchers from the One Health Unit and Education and Learning Unit in the Nossal Institute for Global Health, and epidemiologists and immunologists working out of The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, including within the Strengthening Preparedness in the Asia-Pacific Region Through Knowledge (SPARK) program.
Providing technical training to support and build capacity
Taking an integrated, collaborative approach to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals and ecosystems, the Nossal Institute for Global Health’s One Health and Education and Learning units use multidisciplinary approaches to strengthen management systems and processes, and build the technical capacity of regional public health workforces in the Asia-Pacific region.
The focus of the One Health Unit is on understanding and supporting the linkages between the health of people, animals and ecosystems, to help strengthen health, equity, livelihoods and environmental sustainability.
A significant project led by the Nossal One Health Unit, and funded within the SPARK program, is a ‘train the trainer’ workshop on One Health and Health Security co-developed with colleagues from the Vietnam One Health University Network (VOHUN), the Institut Pasteur-Ho Chi Minh City (IP-HCMC) and associated government departments and universities. Vietnamese colleagues from IP-HCMC have adapted the training course and manual for delivery to human and animal health government staff throughout Vietnam.
Melbourne-based global collaboration working internationally with a regional focus
The University of Melbourne researchers working within the SPARK program have developed close professional relationships with colleagues in the Asia-Pacific, including with leaders and key staff of organisations in Vietnam.
Based in Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute, SPARK researchers collaborate with globally recognised public health institutions in Australia and internationally to develop risk assessments and a range of modelling approaches to strengthen prevention and response of health sectors to disease outbreaks in countries across the Asia-Pacific, including Vietnam.
Working collaboratively to attract future international funding
The University of Melbourne’s successful track record working over many years to support and advance health and medical projects in the Greater Mekong, ensures it remains a strong competitor for funding by regional or multilateral organisations such as the Asian Development Bank and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Such funding is crucial for academic partners in the respective Nossal and Doherty research units involved in supporting and advancing health and medical projects in Vietnam to continue their vital work.