2024 Year in Review
Written by FEiA team - 13 December 2024
Caption: Mr Symphorian Sumun participating in one of the Master-Reach-Teach workshops in Newcastle.
Introduction
2024 was a year of progress and collaboration. Key achievements included the continued expansion of the One Health Frontline FETP in Papua New Guinea (PNG), the graduation of the 9th cohort from PNG’s intermediate FETP, and the launch of Data to Policy training program in partnership with Vital Strategies. Across the region, FEiA strengthened partnerships, advanced professional development initiatives like the Master-Reach-Teach Workshop, and contributed to global field epidemiology through technical resources, publications, and international engagements. Below is a snapshot of key activities for 2024.
We are very grateful for the support of our partners in the Pacific as well as our donors, particularly DFAT’s Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security. Thank you.
Master-Reach-Teach
In July, we welcomed 14 graduates from Papua New Guinea's Field Epidemiology Training Program to the University of Newcastle for the inaugural Master-Reach-Teach (MRT) workshop. This professional development initiative was designed to help graduates further strengthen their field epidemiology skills.
Caption: Fourteen graduates and faculty at the Master-Reach-Teach graduation in Newcastle.
The graduates, who currently serve in various roles across national health programs, provincial health authorities, and health management, participated in two intensive one-week courses tailored to their learning needs. The workshop offered modules on data management, analysis and interpretation, an Excel refresher, and questionnaire design.
By the end of the workshop, participants developed action plans outlining how they would apply their skills in their work place. A follow-up survey conducted one month after the MRT workshop revealed that 83% (n=12) of participants had already applied these skills in their work. Their efforts included conducting a survey to investigate low vaccination coverage, analysing HIV testing data, interpreting syndromic surveillance data, and preparing a provincial Health Sector Performance Report.
Additional follow-up sessions on descriptive and analytical data analysis and interpretation were conducted using case study worksheets.
Papua New Guinea
One Health Frontline FETPNG
During 2024, the fifth cohort of the One Health Frontline FETP was conducted in Eastern Highlands Province with 18 trainees graduating from the program. Eastern Highlands is PNG's second most populated province with a rich natural environment and agriculture. East Sepik province secured provincial funding to run their first cohort of the One Health Frontline FETP. The program will be rolled out in 2025.
Caption: Eighteen graduates and faculty of the One Health frontline FETP in the Eastern Highlands Province.
Two Frontline graduates from earlier cohorts were also selected to participate in the intermediate FETPNG program, building on the skills they acquired through Frontline and expanding their expertise to further contribute to the program’s growth and impact.
In February, a comprehensive curriculum review workshop was organised in Port Moresby, bringing together national and provincial representatives from public health, animal health, agricultural production, environment and conservation agencies. This workshop enabled us to better align the Frontline curriculum to the diverse needs and priorities of all stakeholders.
Caption: Stakeholders and One Health Frontline faculty meeting for the curriculum review workshop in Port Moresby.
Throughout the second half of this year, we focused on disseminating the findings and lessons from Frontline implementation, with program faculty and graduates presenting on the development of the program, an impact evaluation of the pilot programs, and specific frontline field projects at the:
3rd Global Health Security Conference 2024 in Sydney
17th International Symposium on Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics in Sydney
72nd Annual International Conference of the Wildlife Disease Association in Canberra
2024 Pacific Small Island Developing states (SIDS) Solutions Forum in Fiji
PNG One Health Forum in Port Moresby
Building on the informal relationships and networks created through Frontline, FETPNG faculty have also been supporting efforts to operationalise the One Health approach in PNG. This includes membership on the government-led PNG One Health committee, and participating in the PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment (PNGUNRE) One Health Consultative Curriculum Development Workshop.
As we close this year out, we are looking to develop an accredited Frontline curriculum package to support rollout of the program to additional provinces in 2025.
Intermediate FETPNG
Intermediate FETP had an excellent year with 10 fellows graduating from the program. A refined focus on surveillance has led to some fellows implementing surveillance system improvements for their public health intervention – providing real-world impact as they go! The Fellows also participated in an intensive workshop on how to prepare a policy brief based on their interventions. It is hoped that these briefs will be presented to policy-makers over the next few months, with a view to implementing the interventions more widely.
Caption: Fellows, Faculty and Health Representatives of the 9th Cohort of the Intermediate FETPNG in PNG.
In September, faculty conducted a significant review of the whole i-FETP curriculum following some significant change over the past two cohorts. This has resulted in a professionally branded i-FETPNG curriculum 'package' which provides a consistent, evidence based, contextualised curriculum for the fellows. This includes one 'fellow-workbook' for every workshop alongside fully aligned, comprehensive faculty resources to facilitate learning.
Rapid Response Team Program
This year focused on advocacy for rapid response team (RRT) operation and the training program in PNG. Our RRT operation research titled, "The barriers and enablers to the timely activation and effectiveness of provincial rapid response teams in responding to public health alerts across Papua New Guinea" was completed in 2024.
The findings culminated in a clear overarching message that simply training RRTs is not enough, that RRTs need a governance infrastructure and guiding documents to support rapid response, which are evidence-based and contextualised.
The findings have already been shared further afield of PNG, with the preliminary results shared back in June at the Global Health Security Conference in Sydney by RRT coordinator, Mr Emmanuel Hapolo. In November, Emmanuel and Associate Professor Tambri Housen presented the findings, together with the PNG RRT training model to a receptive audience at the GOARN WPRO partners meeting in Tokyo. The findings will be further shared at the TEPHINET conference in Berlin next June (2025).
The findings from this research will contribute to global efforts to improve rapid investigations to public health alerts and emergencies, leading to better health security.
Finally, in recognition of the impactful work being done in PNG with provincial RRTs, Emmanuel, Tambri, and Ms Celeste Marsh were invited this year to contribute to the WHO Global Health Emergency Core (GHEC) Rapid Response Capacities Technical Working Group.
Caption: Emmanuel presenting at the GHEC conference in Tokyo.
Solomon Islands
Sols FETP had a productive year of recruitment and planning for the future. Sols FETP welcomed Mr Fred Beti into the role of Sols FETP Coordinator. Fred will work alongside Mr Coleridge Basale who continues to support the administration of the program. With both roles now filled, the team are busy planning for the next cohort. Aiming for early 2025, Sols FETP are looking forward to welcoming 12 new fellows into the intermediate FETP. The next cohort will have representation from multiple areas of the health system, expanding and strengthening public health surveillance across Solomon Islands.
Vanuatu
Following on from the Theory of Change work conducted in 2023, we now have a signed Memorandum of Agreement to progress the establishment of an FETP in Vanuatu. Planning is still in the early stages and first meetings with FEiA were held in Vanuatu in December. We are hoping to hold the first workshop in 2025, cyclones permitting!
Timor-Leste
February saw the graduation of the intermediate fellows from Timor-Leste and Vanuatu. The fellows had impactful public health interventions, ranging from targeting dengue control to improving antenatal screening for hepatitis B. Congratulations to Ms Aleesha Kalulu, Ms Leiwia Dick, Dr Felipe de Neri Machado and Dr Ari Jayanti Pereira Tilman.
Caption: Four graduates from Vanuatu & Timor-Leste with representatives from FEiA, Hunter New England Health, Menzies Institute of Health Research and CIFAL.
Technical Resources
FEiA has continued developing technical resources to support fellows and graduates from field epi training programs in the Pacific. Improving public health surveillance, which is the third and final module of the Public Health Surveillance elearning course, will be released early in the new year.
A recent evaluation of FEiA's elearning courses found that they are being accessed and used by people working in surveillance and outbreak response in countries across the world, including Ghana, Nigeria and Ethiopia.
FEiA is currently reviewing and updating the Reference Guide for Field Epidemiologists. It is due to be released in the first half of 2025.
Engagement
FEiA team members were invited to be members of the Global Health Emergency Core (GHEC) Rapid Response Capacities working group and to Chair the Global Field Epidemiology Partnerships impact evaluation working group.
Publications
Published manuscripts
Forsyth M, Taylor J, Housen T, Marsh C, Gibbs P, Kipongi W. Sorcery and witchcraft beliefs on the front line of public health response in Papua New Guinea and beyond. Western Pac Surveill Response J [Internet]. 2024 Sep. 4 [cited 2024 Nov. 28];15(3):5. Available from: https://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/article/view/1171
Malio K, Peni B, Hevoho E, Yamba A, Pukienei A, Macfarlane-Berry L, Velasco Ortuzar T, Ropa B, Puana I, Kearns T, Housen T. Incorporating One Health into a front-line field epidemiological training programme in Papua New Guinea: lessons learned. Western Pac Surveill Response J [Internet]. 2024 Nov. 12 [cited 2024 Nov. 28];15(4):7. Available from: https://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/article/view/1107
Presentations
Malio, K., Kearns, T., Peni, B., Hevoho, E., Macfarlane-Berry, L., Velasco Ortuzar, T., Nicole, M., Yamba, A., Pukienei, A., Ropa, B., Puana, I., Housen, T. 2023. Developing a One Health Field Epidemiology Training Program in Papua New Guinea: Enhancing Capacity for Disease Detection and Response. Global Health Security Conference 2024, Sydney Australia 18th - 21st June. Oral presentation.
Peni, B., Thirkell, C., Malio, K., Nicole, K., Hevoho, E., Kagena, E., Pukienei, A., Macfarlane-Berry, L., Velasco Ortuzar, T., Ropa, B., Puana, I., Flint, J., Housen, T. 2023. An evaluation of the One Health Frontline Field Epidemiology Training Program of Papua New Guinea. Global Health Security Conference 2024, Sydney Australia 18th - 21st June. Oral presentation.
Hapolo, E., Marsh, C., Thirkell, C., Hammersly-Matther, R., Ropa, B., Salmon, S., Housen, T. Barriers and enablers to the timely activation and effectiveness of provincial rapid response teams in responding to public health alerts across Papua New Guinea. Global Health Security Conference 2024, Sydney Australia 18th - 21st June. Oral presentation.
Hapolo, E., Marsh, C., Thirkell, C., Hammersly-Matther, R., Ropa, B., Salmon, S., Housen, T. Barriers and enablers to the timely activation and effectiveness of provincial rapid response teams in responding to public health alerts across Papua New Guinea. GOARN WPRO Partners meeting 2024, Tokyo, Japan. 20th - 21st November. Oral presentation.
Hapolo, E., Marsh, C., McFarlane-Berry, L., Housen, T. Barriers and enablers to the timely activation and effectiveness of provincial rapid response teams in responding to public health alerts across Papua New Guinea. Virtual Workshop for PHA Rapid Response Teams. 28th October 2024.
Apal, A., Bauri, M., Andawa, C., Ropa, B., Housen, T., Dowi, R., Bak, J., Langi, J., Engimp, M. 2024. Assessing the Timeliness and Completeness of the National Syndromic Surveillance System in Jiwaka Province. 58th Annual Medical Symposium, Mt Hagen, Papua New Guinea., 1-6th September 2025. Oral presentation.
Kitan, E., Rei, V., Haiveta, P., & Velasco, T. 2023. Applicability of the One Health Concept in Leatherback Turtle Conservation for Kamiali Wildlife Management Area - Huon Gold District, Papua New Guinea. Wildlife Disease Association 72th Conference, Canberra, Australia., 1st-6th December 2024. Oral presentation.
Malio, K., Peni, B., Thirkell, C., Boas M., Hevoho, E, Kagena, E., Pukienei, A., Macfarlane-Berry, L., Velasco Ortuzar, T., Ropa, B., Flint, J., & Housen, T. Evaluating the One Health Frontline Field Epidemiology Training Program of Papua New Guinea, 2023. The 17th International Symposium on Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Sydney Australia 11-15 November. Oral presentation.
Boas M., Flint, J., Housen, T., Velasco Ortuzar, T., Fuller, S. By the Pacific, for the Pacific: Driving transformational change through real-world training, research, and education – Papua New Guinea’s One Health Frontline Field Epidemiology Training Program. 2024 Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Solutions Forum, Nadi Fiji, 5 – 8 November, Oral presentation.
Flint, J., Boas M., Housen, T., Marsh, C., Fuller, S. By the Pacific, for the Pacific: Driving transformational change through real-world training, research, and education – Rapid Response Team Training in Papua New Guinea. 2024 Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Solutions Forum, Nadi Fiji, 5 – 8 November, Oral presentation.
Abstracts accepted to the Global TEPHINET conference 2025
Hapolo, E., Marsh, C., Thirkell, C., Hammersly-Matther, R., Ropa, B., Salmon, S., Housen, T. Barriers and enablers to timely activation and effectiveness of public health provincial rapid response teams across Papua New Guinea and solutions through evidence to policy translation. 12th TEPHINET Global Conference, Berlin, 2-4th June 2025. Accepted for an Oral Presentation.
Leinga, B., Gali, A., Joshua, C., Sio, A., Mather, R., Leslie, B. Increasing microscopy testing for malaria to improve malaria drug distribution in Tulagi Hospital, Central Islands Province, 2019–2022. 12th TEPHINET Global Conference, Berlin, 2-4th June 2025. Accepted for an Oral Presentation.
Conclusion
The FEiA team would like to express their immense gratitude to our partners who have jointly delivered these programs or provided the funding to enable these workforce development activities. The impact of these collective and sustained efforts are being felt are being felt in many diverse places. None of this would not have been possible without you.
National Department of Health - Papua New Guinea
National Agriculture Quarantine And Inspection Authority (NAQIA)
Conservation and Environment Protection Authority
World Vision
World Health Organization Papua New Guinea
Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network
Field Epidemiology Training Program of Papua New Guinea
World Health Organization Western Pacific
Ministry of Health and Medical Services- Solomon Islands
Ministry of Health- Vanuatu
Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security
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