A one-day workshop organized by the Population Health and Demographic unit (PHDU) was held at the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research’s (PNGIMR) Adolf Saweri Lecture Theatre on the 8 November, 2018.
The purpose of the Data Dissemination Workshop was to disseminate new data on household socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the population living in the surveillance sites to the health authorities and partners in Eastern Highlands Province.
A programme entitled ‘Strengthening National Capacity of the Health and Epidemiological Surveillance System in PNG, 2018-2022’ was developed by PNGIMR in 2017. Early this year, the PNG Government made approval of the program as part of the Medium Term Development Plan III 2018-2022 through the Department of National Planning and Monitoring.
“For the first time, the PNG Government decided to take ownership to fund the program this year 2018,” Population Health and Demography Head Unit, Dr Bang Pham said.
During the workshop, PHDU staff presented their key findings and recommendations based on the Comprehensive Health and Epidemiology Surveillance System (CHESS) programme.
Noel Barry presented on ‘Surveillance sites and population’, Jaukae Jaukae explained the ‘Research method and materials used’, Tess Aga talked about ‘Demographic characteristics and the use of bed nets’, Vinson Silas was on ‘Education and employment’, Rebecca Emori stressed on ‘Water & Sanitation and hand washing practice’, Ronny Jorry talked on ‘Housing characteristics and household asset’, Nora Abori presented on the ‘Access and utilisation of health services’, and Dr Bang Pham presented on ‘wealth analysis’ and gave recommendations.
Eastern Highlands Provincial Education Advisor Mr Thomas Jonduo who attended the workshop stated that “this programme is very interesting and I am glad I came, because I have learnt a lot from the different findings and so I will have to influence the education and administration boards to work along and support PNGIMR to improve people’s health and wellbeing.”
Meanwhile, Dr Bang mentioned that respiratory infections, skin infections and diarrheal diseases are now the leading infectious diseases, accounting for 30% of the case load at primary health facilities across the sites, suggesting that infectious diseases are still a top priority at the primary health level in PNG.
