Theme: Action against pneumonia: A celebration of 40 years of pneumonia research in PNG and finding the best way forward

The Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research (PNGIMR), together with its co-sponsors, PNG National Department of Health (NDoH) and World Health Organization (WHO), will be hosting a celebration of 40 years of research on pneumonia in Papua New Guinea (PNG) from the evening of Monday 23rd to Thursday 26th of August 2010. It is hoped that many former staff and colleagues from PNG and overseas who have conducted pneumonia research over the years will be able to attend. The occasion will include reminiscences and reflections on past research, presentations on current research and discussions aiming to identify the best ways of reducing mortality and morbidity from pneumonia and how to implement them.

Most of the celebration will be held at the Institute headquarters in Goroka. Previous staff members from the Tari Research Unit, the Asaro Surveillance Unit and the Pneumonia Research Program as well as current staff based in Goroka and other branches of PNGIMR will be invited to attend.

The Colloquium is being organized by Samson Akunaii and William Pomat with the secretarial assistance of Clare Mile. The program for the Colloquium will be put together after consultation with the Director, Professor Peter Siba, and other senior scientists. There will be ample time for discussion and audience participation. The organizers will be writing separately to past and present staff members and colleagues asking them to speak on specific topics. However, they invite anybody who has been involved in pneumonia research in PNG to contribute to the program: those wishing to do so should make contact with one of the organizers.

As part of the celebration there will be a focus issue of the PNG Medical Journal devoted to research and research implementation on pneumonia and other acute respiratory infections. Deborah Lehmann and William Pomat are the guest editors for this issue, which will be published in the Journal in 2011. All speakers at the Colloquium will be invited to submit their papers for publication in this focus issue. The deadline for submission is 30 September 2010.

The organizers are currently seeking sponsorship for this event, which will be free for PNGIMR staff and, depending on the level of funding support obtained, for as many Papua New Guinean ex-staff of the Institute as possible. There will be a small registration fee for overseas participants. While it will not be possible to provide fares and accommodation for overseas and non-PNGIMR Papua New Guinean participants, all meals and social activities will be provided free to all registrants.

Participants are assured of a warm welcome to Goroka, a significant scientific and historical conference and a colourful event to mark a very important milestone.

Those wishing to attend should complete the registration form and return it to one of the organizers, to whom any specific queries and suggestions should be addressed, at:

Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research
PO Box 60
Goroka, EHP 441
Papua New Guinea
Telephone +675 532 2800
Fax +675 532 1998