Nossal Highlights 2011
Intervention Models Workshop
AusAID Australian Development Research Award Grant (ADRA) - Gender and harm reduction: Meeting the needs of women who inject drugs in Vietnam
On 23 June 2011, the ADRA project held a national “Intervention Models Workshop” in Hanoi, with stakeholders drawn from government, non-government and peer support groups for women who inject drugs from both Hanoi and HCMC. The workshop provided the opportunity to present the end-of-project findings, with a view to addressing the transmission and infection risks related to female injecting drug use.
Visions Video Podcast
Development and Illicit Drug Use. This episode of Visions explores a new report which provides evidence of strong links between drug production, conflict increased poverty and poor development and features Nossal Insitute Reseachers Professor Nick Crofts and Priya Manneva.
Honouring Sir Gus Nossal
An article written by Sarah Marinos "No stopping Nossal" appeared in the Herald Sun on 29 May 2011 which honours the life and work of Sir Gus Nossal who will celebrate his 80th Birthday.
In the Media
Food lobbyists accused of sabotaging public health. Professor Rob Moodie appeared on ABC's Lateline program, Wednesday 22 June 2011 highlighting the delay in government action on diet-related diseases.
Australia plays key role in global vaccination push. Associate Professor Tilman Ruff appeared alongside Tim Costello and Rachel Carbonell on The ABC's - World Today, Tuesday June 14 to discuss Australia'a contribution and commitment to the GAVI Alliance global campaign to the vaccination of children in the world's poorest countries against an array of life-threatening illnesses.
Professor Nick Crofts article Getting it right appeared in the The Age on Monday 23 May 2011 focussing on the impacts of decriminilising illicit drugs on harm reduction, drug policy, law enforcement and human rights. An interview with Professor Crofts also appears in The Zone on Tuesday 24 May 2011.
Magazine Article
"Focus on Disability", is an article published in the Australian Volunteers International Magazine and written by Pauline Kleinitz of the CBM-Nossal Institute Partnership highlighting the need for more disability inclusive development programs and to build partnerships with international aid organisations for greater recognition of the rights of people with disabilities in developing countries.
Book Chapters
Control and Eradication of Malaria: Past, Present and Future by Professor Graham Brown and The Future of Global Health by Sir Gustav Nossal were published in Health in 2011 by Future Leaders and both chapters also feature in the Questions website.
Report on Drugs and Development
Dependent on Development: the interrelationships between illicit drugs and socio-economic development co-authored Priya Manneva, Sasha Zegenhagen and Professor Nick Crofts, was formally launched with members of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium on 17 March 2011. This reports on the first stage of a project Nossal is carrying out in collaboration with Family Health International, and funded by the Open Society Institute’s Global Drug Policy Project. A second launch co-sponsored by the German aid agency, GIZ, was held at the meeting of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna. Additionally, an OpEd piece Drugs and Development - a vicious cycle which features this report has been published in the Guardian Weekly, United Kingdom on 7 April.
Newsletter
The India Office Newsletter provides news and updates of activities from our AIHI Branch Office in New Delhi covered by Nandini Pillai.
Book on Health
Health, edited by Helen Sykes, is a collaboration of writing by leading academics including Sir Gus Nossal and Nossal Institute Director, Professor Graham Brown and covers such topics as health policy, chronic disease, climate change and global health. It also includes writing from entrants in the Future Leaders writing prize.
Media Release
Australian institutions centre stage in fight to control hepatitis B released on 29 March 2011 highlights how Hepatitis B infection is a major public health problem world-wide. Following a unanimous resolution of the World Health Assembly last year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is developing a strategy to support all countries to improve the control of hepatitis B. [Read more...]
Publications
Priority actions for the non-communicable disease crisis was coauthored by Professor Rob Moodie and published in The Lancet, April 6 2011.
‘Is demand side financing equity enhancing? Lessons from a maternal health voucher scheme in Bangladesh’ authored by Dr. Shakil Ahmed has been accepted for publication in the Social Science & Medicine Journal. [Read more...]
Opioid substitution therapy in resource-poor settings an editorial piece co-authored by Dr Michelle Kermode and Professor Nick Crofts is published in the WHO Bulletin 2011.
Disability Inclusive Practices in Eye Health. This document has been produced to build upon the great work already undertaken by eye health services in developing countries.
Conferences
Antimicrobial resistance and global spread - The AMREP World Health Day Conference is being held on Thursday 7 April 2011 and organised by partners of the Alfred Medical Research & Education Precinct (AMREP) Global Health Consortium, which includes Monash University, the Burnet Institute, Baker IDI and Diabetes Institute and the Alfred Hospital.
KBS 2011 - 37th Annual Alcohol Epidemiology Symposium of the Kettil Bruun Society - Melbourne on 11-15 April 2011 and hosted by Turning Point and the Burnet Institute. KBS is the main international scientific society for social and epidemiologcal research in the field and it is the first time a meeting is being in the southern hemisphere.
Public Lecture
"Remarkable Contributions: Australia, the GAVI Alliance and Immunization". On Monday 21 March 2011, the Nossal Institute hosted GAVI Alliance Interim CEO, Ms Helen Evans and Professor Emeritus Sir Gus Nossal to talk on the organisation's commitment and mission to improve the future health of the poor by increasing access to immunisaton for children in developing countries and how Australia can make a contribution to this strategy.[Policy Brief]
UNSESCO Course
The Nossal Institute in collaboration with the Burnet Institute developed and delivered the course Understanding the needs of vulnerable and most at risk adolescents and young people in concentrated and low prevalence HIV epidemics. being the third short course hosted by UNICEF and UNFPA and UNESCO which from 14-18 March 2011 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Radio Interview
Listen to Professor Graham Brown's recent interview on ABC Radio Australia "Malaria still a major health issue in some Pacific countries". Roll Back Malaria is a global partnership founded in 1998, by the WHO, the UN Development Program, UNICEF and the World Bank and Professor Brown is a Board member.
Vaccination at birth a key strategy in the fight to control Hepatitis B and improve care on day one of life
Hepatitis B infection is a major public health problem world-wide. Following a unanimous resolution of the World Health Assembly last year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is developing a strategy to support all countries to improve the control of hepatitis B.
In support of this program, WHO organised a Consultation in Melbourne in December 2010 to examine best practices in the prevention of hepatitis B infection at birth, which is responsible for a large proportion of all hepatitis B infections globally. In May 2010 the World Health Assembly agreed that all babies should have access to the first dose of vaccine in the first 24 hours after birth, when it is most effective.
Hepatitis B vaccine - the world's first anti-cancer vaccine is inexpensive, very safe and highly effective. Universal vaccination in countries with a significant burden of hepatitis B infection is cost saving to society and has already prevented millions of hepatitis B infections and future deaths due to liver failure and cancer. Across the world, liver cancer is the fifth most common cancer, and the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths, mostly in developing countries.
We also know that the first day of life is a critical time for the mother and baby - any additional driver to get health services in contact with them at this time has the potential to promote other life-saving care.
In reaction to the need to scale up hepatitis B vaccination efforts in many countries, a number of institutions and experts represented at the WHO consultation have endorsed the 'Melbourne Statement' - a call for the consideration of all available strategies to prevent hepatitis B transmission to newborns.
Our institution has been closely involved in this process. We know that getting 100% of babies vaccinated within 24 hours of birth will be a major challenge for many countries. World Hepatitis Day on July 28 gives us a chance to focus global attention on the new technologies and systems needed to reach those babies who are currently missing out.
The Melbourne Statement can be downloaded from the Burnet Institute
A New India Australia Partnership to Support the Aspirations of the Urban Poor of Delhi
‘We must empower the disempowered,’ was the message from Shri Kapil Sibal, the Government of India’s Cabinet Minister for Education and chief guest at an event entitled ‘A new India Australia partnership to support the aspirations of Delhi’s urban poor,’ hosted by Asha and the Australia India Institute on Wednesday March 2nd at India Habitat Centre. (Photo: Dr Kiran Martin addresses the Hon. Kapil Sibal, distinguished guests and other attendees at the event)
The event was held to celebrate the launch of a flagship programme to study and address the inequities in India’s urban areas, through the partnership of Asha and Australia India Institute in collaboration with the University of Melbourne’s Nossal Institute for Global Health.Asha was privileged to welcome honoured guests Hon. Alex Chernov, Chairman of Australia India Institute and Chancellor of the University of Melbourne, Australian High Commissioner HE Mr Peter Varghese, Prof. Dinesh Singh, Vice Chancellor of Delhi University and Prof. Susan Elliott, Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Melbourne. Distinguished guests included influential representatives of both India and Australia, illustrating the important relationship between the two countries that this programme will help to strengthen even further.
The groundbreaking initiative will focus on research that will look at what makes Asha’s urban development model so successful in reducing poverty in Delhi’s slums. Mr Chernov said that, ‘the research will inform the way forward at Asha and other slum communities and also for those in government concerned with meeting the challenges of India’s growing urban population. This launch will no doubt be reflected in continued progress for the Asha community.’ Asha founder-director Dr Kiran Martin expressed her pleasure that the programme would also promote higher education opportunities for many more children in Asha slums, saying ‘As our slum children become well educated, they will contribute significantly to enhanced economic productivity and become a major asset to our nation.’ Hon. Shri Sibal, who has been a key supporter of the programme since he visited an Asha slum a few years ago, endorsed Asha’s vision, saying he hoped that this programme would be replicated for all of India’s millions of slum children.
Newsletter
The Comprehensive Rural Health Project in Jamkhed India has been working among the rural poor and marginalized for over 39 years. By partnering with village communities and expanding upon local knowledge and resources the project aims to effectively meet the immediate and long term needs of these groups, especially women. With values of compassion, justice, respect and trust, CRHP works to empower people, families and communities, regardless of caste, race or religion, through integrated efforts in health and development. Read the January 2011 Newsletter
Conference presentation
Dr Jeremy Moss, Director, Social Justice Initiative will be presenting ‘Equality, Climate and Justice’, at the UNESCO Conference in Bangkok on 9 February and ‘Principles of Climate Justice’ as part of a seminar series "A new approach to regulatory justice. Part 1: Environmental Justice." for the Environment Protection Authority, Victoria on 15 February 2011.Appointment to Board
Associate Professor Grant Blashki was appointed to the Board of the Australian Conservation Foundation in December 2010.
Australia-India Institute Grant
The Nossal Institute has been awarded an inaugural grant from the Australia-India Institute to document the 22-year evolution of the Asha model in improving the quality of life of urban poor.
The project will produce a monograph, short publication and a DVD. These outputs are expected to strengthen understanding of sustainable urban health and development among Indian government policy-makers, donors, NGOs and international development practitioners.
The Nossal team started work on this project in November, 2010, during which it visited Asha slums and activities, met members of Asha women’s groups, peer educators and children’s groups, and held interviews with senior staff, including the Founder and Director, Dr Kiran Martin. Dr Martin recently delivered the University of Melbourne Chancellor’s 2010 Human Rights Lecture - "Making Human Rights Real: Transforming the lives of India's poor and homeless" -[View Live@Melbourne Video]Photo: Nossal staff and Asha team at a local community centre. Photo source: Dr Martha Morrow
The Asha Delhi Slums Project: documenting the history and model
Asha, a non-governmental organisation based in New Delhi, India, is renowned internationally for its contributions to equity and well-being among the 400,000 slum residents reached by its multi-sectoral program. Little is known about the most effective strategies to improve the lives of the increasing number of people who reside in urban slums, and there is international interest in this field, particularly because over half of the world’s population is now urban. Asha’s comprehensive model includes: accessible health care, community empowerment, accessible formal and informal education, financial inclusion and improving slum environments (For further information see: http://www.asha-india.org/what-we-do). Photo source: Dr Martha Morrow
Public Forum
Prevention or Cure" - Professor Rob Moodie joined Stephanie Alexander and Sir Gus Nossal to speak at the St Vincent's Institute Public Forum in Melbourne to discuss the primary school kitchen gardens initiative, behavioural economics and frugal innovation, as important elements in a complex strategy to improve heart health and reduce the obesity epidemic.
ABC Radio Interview
On Wednesday 15 December, Director of the Nossal Institute, Professor Graham Brown was interviewed on ABC AM about the newly released WHO World Malaria Report 2010 which reveals the significant progress being made in the eradication the disease.
Disability Inclusive Development Workshop
Disability Inclusive Development Workshop: Melbourne, 1 - 3 March 2011
This workshop seeks to engage with Australian-based Disabled People's Organisations (DPOs) and individuals with disabilities in disability inclusive development processes, to increase their capacity and understanding on disability inclusive development and practical ways to engage with, empower and support overseas DPOs. [More information...]
Disability Awareness DVD
The Nossal Institute for Global Health and CBM Australia in collaboration with Uttarakhand Cluster-Community Health Global Network have produced a DVD to promote awareness and mainstreaming of people with disability in this Northern Indian region. Dr Nathan Grills is a coordinator of health programs for UKC-CHGN and provided the technical assistance for the production of the DVD. [Read more...]
Launch of new website
The Australian Mens Shed Association, Movember Foundation and beyondblue have collaborated to launch "The Shed Online" community networking website. Associate Professor Grant Blashki is a clinical adviser for beyondblue and is part of this new online information service which will provide advice on health and well being and assistance to men suffering from depression.