ANZGITA 2021 COVID-19 Vaccination Information Sessions
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Five COVID-19 vaccination seminars run for Pacific internal medicine physicians and others during May/June 2021 have been very well attended (up to 80). Each featured an expert presenter(s) on an aspect of COVID, generated much discussion and answered many questions.
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"There are no other organisations that could reach this Pacific audience with such effectiveness and urgency as we have done." Prof Finlay Macrae AO, ANZGITA Chair |
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The seminars were organised by Assoc Prof Chris Hair, ANZGITA South Pacific Programs Leader, Dr. Meru Sheel, Senior Research Fellow, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, ANU and Prof Adam Jenny, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity & Fiji National Uni, working with Dr Mai Ling Perman, President of the Internal Medicine Organisation of the Pacific (IMOP).
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The seminars were an extension to general 2021 education webinar program (this year focussing on liver topics), which are organised in conjunction with Ms Christina Higa of the Pacific Basin Telehealth Resource Center, University of Hawaii, ANZGITA Director, Assoc Prof Chris Hair and Dr Mai Ling Perman of IMOP.
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Our purpose has been to provide a forum for group discussion and questions with our guest speakers. The audience was laregly internal medicine physicians from across the Blue Continent. Countries represented included:
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"Thank you so much, Chris, for sharing this and thinking of us during this challenging time. Your support is appreciated." Dr William May, Dean, College of Medicine, Fiji National University |
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"The effort ... put into these sessions and the messages they carry means a world to us developing nation doctors, ... looking forward to many more." Dr Vishal Kumar MMED, Fiji |
2021 COVID-19 Vaccine Discussion Series - Recording Links
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28 MAY 2021 -"COVID-19 Vaccine Safety"
Dr Meru Sheel, Prof Adam Jenney, Prof Michael Gold, Prof Huyen Tran, Dr Ravi Naidu, Dr Chris Hair for Dr Folototo Leavai View Session Recording Here 13 MAY 2021 - "Communicating About Vaccines" Dr Meru Sheel, Prof Julie Leask View Session Recording Here 12 MAY 2021 - "Management of Hospital COVID-19 Outbreak Affecting Patients & Healthcare Workers" Prof Adam Jenney, Prof Allen Cheng, Assoc Prof Steve McGloughlin, Assoc Prof James McMahon View Session Recording Here 29 APR 2021 - "Clinical Considerations and Contraindications, Special Groups for Vaccination" Dr Christopher Blyth View Session Recording Here 20 APR 2021 - "General Overview of COVID-19 Vaccines & COVAX" Dr Meru Sheel View Session Recording Here |
"A very helpful series, we gained a lot of knowledge and capacity building ... imparted into me some confidence in COVID-19 and vaccination" Dr Sale Tamata Vurobaravu, Vanuatu 
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Good Reads
The resurgence of COVID-19 positive cases from local and community transmission in Fiji has dealt a swift blow to Fiji's economic optimism. Read about the situation here.
Pacific Community COVID Updates HERE
The Guardian has stopped publishing weekly Pacific Island updates. However, here is a link to one of the writers' weekly blog.
The Guardian has stopped publishing weekly Pacific Island updates. However, here is a link to one of the writers' weekly blog.
DFAT 'Partnerships for Recovery' Strategy - The Foreign Minister and Minister for International Development and the Pacific launched the Australian Government’s COVID-19 development response strategy, Partnerships for Recovery. We are pleased to provide a copy of the Strategy here. The Strategy presents Australia’s priorities in working globally, and especially with our near neighbours, to minimise the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The government is pivoting its development partnerships in support of the health security, economic recovery and stability of our region. We will monitor for any effect on our DFAT PIP funding for Pacific programs.
Climate Change - The governments of Fiji and Samoa have reiterated that even though the impacts of Covid-19 are severe, climate change remains the No 1 challenge in the Pacific islands region. A paper by Desmond Leddin (ANZGITA Advisory Group Member) and Finlay Macrae (ANZGITA Chair) was published in the May/June Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology which documents the need for the gastroenterology community to consider the implications of climate change on Gastrointestinal Health and Disease. We invite you to read it here.
2020 COVID-19 Discussion Series
WEBINAR - Friday, May 22, 2020 1:00 PM View Session Recording Here
TOPIC: "Outbreak Management in Small Island Nations - Perspectives from Guam"
MODERATOR: Associate Professor Chris Hair, MBBS, BSc, FRACP, & ANZGITA Director & South Pacific Programs Lead
WEBINAR - Friday, April 17, 2020 1:00 PM View Session Recording Here
TOPIC: "COVID-19 - Approaching Challenges and Clinical Responses for Healthcare Workers in Pacific Island Nations"
MODERATOR: Associate Professor Chris Hair, MBBS, BSc, FRACP, & ANZGITA Director & South Pacific Programs Lead
Follow-up RESOURCES from Professor Maclntyre provided below:
Decontamination and Reuse of Filtering Facepiece Respirators
Covid-19: Should cloth masks be used by healthcare workers as a last resort?
COVID-19 key research papers and resources
WEBINAR - Friday, 20 March 2020 View Vimeo Session here.
TOPIC: "COVID-19 and PI Nations: How and What Do We Need to Prepare For?"
In lieu of the Gastroenterology Training Session, this week was a lecture based on COVID-19. The session ended in a Q&A session with various participating Pacific Island nations in attendance.
TOPIC: "Outbreak Management in Small Island Nations - Perspectives from Guam"
MODERATOR: Associate Professor Chris Hair, MBBS, BSc, FRACP, & ANZGITA Director & South Pacific Programs Lead
WEBINAR - Friday, April 17, 2020 1:00 PM View Session Recording Here
TOPIC: "COVID-19 - Approaching Challenges and Clinical Responses for Healthcare Workers in Pacific Island Nations"
MODERATOR: Associate Professor Chris Hair, MBBS, BSc, FRACP, & ANZGITA Director & South Pacific Programs Lead
Follow-up RESOURCES from Professor Maclntyre provided below:
Decontamination and Reuse of Filtering Facepiece Respirators
Covid-19: Should cloth masks be used by healthcare workers as a last resort?
COVID-19 key research papers and resources
WEBINAR - Friday, 20 March 2020 View Vimeo Session here.
TOPIC: "COVID-19 and PI Nations: How and What Do We Need to Prepare For?"
In lieu of the Gastroenterology Training Session, this week was a lecture based on COVID-19. The session ended in a Q&A session with various participating Pacific Island nations in attendance.
COVID Information & Resources
World Health Organization COVID 19 Tracker Latest information, health guidance and resources.
World Gastroenterology Organisation COVID 19 Resources for our Global Community For resources and research papers.
www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ Quick look tracking of live statistics on case numbers by country.
Australian Department of Health COVID Daily Updates Current information, latest case numbers and useful related information.
Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology 'Covid-19 and the Digestive System, May 2020'
MyInteract COVID-19 Connection You will need to create an account if you are not already using MyInteract.
Australian Government COVID Safe Tracking App Download the tracking app from this site.
CDC - Center for Disease Control COVID Information For disease control and background.
The Guardian Weekly COVID Update For interesting newspaper articles, reporting and latest information by island.
www.radiologyacrossborders.org/ For resources, Pacific information and background on how COVID affects a related healthcare profession.
World Gastroenterology Organisation COVID 19 Resources for our Global Community For resources and research papers.
www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ Quick look tracking of live statistics on case numbers by country.
Australian Department of Health COVID Daily Updates Current information, latest case numbers and useful related information.
Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology 'Covid-19 and the Digestive System, May 2020'
MyInteract COVID-19 Connection You will need to create an account if you are not already using MyInteract.
Australian Government COVID Safe Tracking App Download the tracking app from this site.
CDC - Center for Disease Control COVID Information For disease control and background.
The Guardian Weekly COVID Update For interesting newspaper articles, reporting and latest information by island.
www.radiologyacrossborders.org/ For resources, Pacific information and background on how COVID affects a related healthcare profession.