R E Ross Trust Regional Child Health Fellowship Program

Project Details

The R E Ross Trust Regional Child Health Fellowship Program focuses on building capacity in a number of areas, including research, public health, the clinical care of children, and leadership skills.

The Centre for International Child Health has operated the program since 2005. The program provides training for paediatricians and child health workers in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

Small grants and technical support are provided to doctors, nurses and other public health workers to enable them to carry out good quality research into priority areas of child health, as part of formal training in their specialty through the University of Papua New Guinea.
Grants are also provided for other continuing professional development activities, including training and presentations at meetings, and for specific areas of policy development.

Through the scheme, training has been provided for over 20 paediatricians, clinical paediatrics, epidemiology and operational research; to more than 200 nurses, doctors and other health workers in the care of sick children. Support has been given to training in a number of specialties, including paediatric cancer treatment, nutrition, vaccines and immunisations, disease surveillance and epidemiology.

The scheme has supported the development of the PNG National Child Health
Policy (2009-2020); and a multi-centre national surveillance system for common illnesses in children, and the publication of 6 annual reports of Child Morbidity and Mortality.

In the Solomon Islands the Fellowship is supporting the development of a postgraduate child health nursing course, one of the first in the Pacific Islands, being delivered through the Solomon Islands National University.

The Regional Child Health Fellowship is operated in collaboration with the PNG Paediatric Society, the PNG National Department of Health, the School ofMedicine and Health Sciences, University of PNG, and with strong support from the RE Ross Trust.

Hear from fellows that the Program has supported:

Researchers

  • Professor Trevor Duke

Collaborators

  • PNG Paediatric Society
  • PNG National Department of Health
  • School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of PNG
  • Solomon Islands National University
  • Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services

Funding

  • RE Ross Trust

Research Outcomes

  • Duke T, Kado, J.H, Auto, J, Amini, J, & Gilbert, K. 2015. Closing the gaps in child health in the Pacific: An achievable goal in the next 20 years. Journal of paediatrics and child health, 51, (1) 54-60
  • Duke T, Yano E, Hutchinson A, Hwaihwanje I, Aipit J, Tovilu M, Uluk T, Rongap T, Vetuna B, Lagani W, Amini J; Paediatric Society of Papua New Guinea. Large-scale data reporting of paediatric morbidity and mortality in developing countries: it can be done. Arch Dis Child. 2016 Apr;101(4):392-7
  • Landi M, Swakin E, Minijihau C, Welch H, Tefuarani N, Duke T. Severe malnutrition in children in Papua New Guinea: effect of a multi-faceted intervention to improve quality of care and nutritional outcomes. Paediatr Int Child Health. 2016 Jan 9:1-8
  • Sa’avu, M, Duke T, & Matai, S. 2014. Improving paediatric and neonatal care in rural district hospitals in the highlands of Papua New Guinea: a quality improvement approach. Paediatrics and international child health, 34, (2) 75-83
  • Lagani, W, Mokela, D, Saweri, W, Kiromat, M, Ripa, P, Vince, J, Pameh, W, Tefuarani, N, Hwaihwanje, I, & Subhi, R. 2010. Papua New Guinea: real progress towards MDG 4 and real challenges. International health, 2, (3) 186-196
  • Anga, G, Barnabas, R, Kaminiel, O, Tefuarani, N, Vince, J, Ripa, P, Riddell, M, & Duke T. 2010. The aetiology, clinical presentations and outcome of febrile encephalopathy in children in Papua New Guinea. Annals of tropical paediatrics, 30, (2) 109-118.

Research Group

Centre for International Child Health



Faculty Research Themes

Infection and Immunology, Child Health

School Research Themes

Child Health in Medicine



Key Contact

For further information about this research, please contact the research group leader.

Department / Centre

Paediatrics

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