Reinforcing regional and national infection control capacities

 There is a general belief that a future influenza pandemic is inevitable. Although the timing of this pandemic is uncertain, the current epidemics of avian influenza in and outside South East Asia pose a significant risk of developing into the next pandemic.
      The need to reinforce the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) capacities to respond effectively to this threat is therefore urgent. The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 highlighted the high vulnerability of the Pacific Island region to future epidemics of emerging diseases, due to their limited resources and response capacities.
     Regionally, partners of the Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network (PPHSN) have already developed pandemic preparedness guidelines, but more work needs to be done, especially at the country level.
      Early this month, SPC’s Public Health Surveillance and Communicable Disease Control Section recruited an Infection Control Specialist, Mrs Peta-Anne Zimmerman, for a period of 6 months. The objective of this consultancy is to reinforce infection control capacities in the region and strengthen hospital infection control in Pacific Island countries and territories healthcare facilities.
      Peta-Anne will visit PICTs and try to address their needs individually. Her activities will consist in reviewing existing in-country infection control procedures and policies and give appropriate, realistic and practical recommendations, performing a training needs analysis in the area of infection control and proposing surveillance mechanisms for infection control.
      This new PPHSN project funded by ADB will not only benefit broad communicable diseases prevention and control, but also assist PICTs in their influenza pandemic preparedness plan activities.
  Further information: please contact Dr Tom Kiedrzynski, Epidemiologist.

Mr Right Guy — multimedia CD-ROM with a message

  “Mr Right Guy”, a multimedia CD-ROM focusing on youthful risk-taking and HIV/AIDS issues, is about to be released. The CD-ROM, based on a film called Mr Right Guy ― about a night out and a chance encounter with a lead singer ― is the result of collaboration between SPC’s HIV/AIDS programme and Vanuatu theatre group, Wan Smolbag. It was produced with funding support from the Global Fund to fight AIDS Tuberculosis and Malaria.
     Using the Wan Smolbag film as a springboard, the multimedia CD-ROM is designed to provide educators, peer educators, community and health workers with useful approaches in working with young people on behaviours that reduce their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Young people can also use the resources themselves. The CD-ROM includes follow up activities and support materials with scenes and songs from Mr Right Guy providing a starting point for discussing issues, finding facts, breaking down myths, and making posters.
     CD-ROM users can navigate through different themes including sexual harassment; safe sex; condom use; HIV/AIDS and STIs; relationships; parents, children and sex; prostitution; alcohol and risks; and consequences. Or they can go directly to resource materials such as FAQs, scenes, songs, fact sheets, posters, and myths.
  Further information: or for copies of the Mr Right Guy CD-ROM (© SPC/ WSB 2005) email SPC’s HIV/AIDS programme . Copies of the CD-ROM will be released with the film from Wan Smolbag in Vanuatu (smolbag@vanuatu.com.vu) in October. It will also be distributed at the Pan Pacific HIV/AIDS conference in Auckland, October 25-28.

Survey will support Solomon Islands planning

  Solomon Islands Household Income and Expenditure Survey is launched. The survey will collect data on such issues as family income and expenditure, demographic characteristics of households, and various indicators of poverty.
     The survey forms the greater part of a statistical development project that is being supported by SPC.
     “It is crucial to have an active national statistical system in place,” says Mr Boyers. “The data collected will provide a strong basis for policy planning and decision making as well as setting targets for meeting the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals.”
     The Solomon Islands Statistics Development Project is funded jointly by AusAID and NZAID with both providing AU$400,000 towards the project. SPC is administering the project, which is being implemented by the Solomon Islands National Statistics Office. At the launch, AusAID and NZAID officials affirmed the Minister’s sentiments, adding that they are pleased to be able to contribute to such a worthwhile undertaking and look forward to seeing the outputs of the survey.
     Willie Lahari, SPC in-country Technical Adviser and manager of the project, comments, “It is exciting to be involved in such a beneficial activity. I am confident that the combined expertise and enthusiasm of everyone involved will contribute to the successful conduct of the survey and thus help Solomon Islands to continue moving forward.”
     The Solomon Islands Government is taking advantage of the survey to add a set of health questions that will provide invaluable information on child immunization coverage, infant and maternal mortality, and the incidence of specific diseases with a focus on malaria and chronic illnesses.
     The survey will take place over six months from October this year to March 2006. Preliminary results are expected to be available by September 2006.
  Further information: please contact Chris Ryan, SPC Acting Statistician.