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The COVID-19 pandemic caused us to cancel all our in-country training programs from March 2020. At this stage there are no programs planned for 2021. We continue to monitor the situation with our in-country partners and program partners such as the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Webinars and other remote learning and mentoring activities continue. Consult our programs page for any updates.

COVID-19 Is Reaching the Last Coronavirus-Free Nations on Earth -
 Isolated Pacific island nations closed their borders early in the pandemic, but COVID-19 is beginning to creep in.  Read in TIME, 13 Nov 20 

A coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University appears to be safe and prompts an immune response, raising hopes about the distribution of a vaccine in the coming months. The Oxford team published the results of its vaccine trials in the medical journal the Lancet.

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.    


COVID Information & Resources
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World Health Organization COVID 19 Tracker  Latest information, health guidance and resources.

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World Gastroenterology Organisation COVID 19 Resources for our Global Community  For resources and research papers.

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​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.

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Australian Government COVID Safe Tracking App  Download the tracking app from this site.

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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.

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​www.radiologyacrossborders.org/  For resources, Pacific information and background on how COVID affects a related healthcare profession.
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ANZGITA COVID Education Webinar Program
View our education webinar program on the topic of COVID, conducted in conjunction with the Pacific Basin Telehealth Resource Center, University of Hawaii by ANZGITA Director, Assoc Prof Chris Hair.  Please email Chris for further details.

​WEBINAR #4 - Friday, 19 June 2020                                           View Vimeo Session here
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TOPIC:  'COVID-19 Positive Patient Flow Through Hospital and Theatre'

MODERATOR:  Associate Professor Chris Hair, MBBS, BSc, FRACP, & ANZGITA Director & South Pacific Programs Lead

Guest Faculty: Joji Malani, Associate Professor of Medicine, Fiji National University


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WEBINAR #3 - Friday, May 22nd 1:00 PM        ​                            View Vimeo Session 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


                                                                                   SPECIAL GUEST FACULTY

Stephanie Kern-Allely - Guam's Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologist's Applied Epidemiology Fellow
Thane Hancock MD MPH - LCDR U.S. Public Health Service, Career Epidemiology Field Officer: U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands, Field Services Branch, Division of State and Local Readiness Center for Preparedness and Response, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Pacific Islands Health Officers Association
Dr Meru Sheel - Global health research and infectious diseases epidemiologist with interest in health emergencies, emerging infectious and vaccine-preventable diseases.

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WEBINAR #2 - Friday, 17 April, 1:00 PM                                         View Vimeo Session here
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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​​

​                                                                             SPECIAL GUEST FACULTY

Professor Raina Maclntyre - NHMRC Principal Research Fellow, Professor of Global Biosecurity and PLuS Alliance Fellow. She heads the Biosecurity Program at the Kirby Institute, which conducts research in epidemiology, vaccinology, bioterrorism prevention, mathematical modelling, public health and clinical trials in infectious diseases.  Her work falls under 4 areas: Personal Protective equipment, vaccinology, Epidemic response and emerging infectious diseases, biosecurity.
Dr Meru Sheel - Global health research and infectious diseases epidemiologist with interest in health emergencies, emerging infectious and vaccine-preventable diseases.
Dr Adam Jenney - Adjunct Professor Medicine, FNU; Infectious disease physician, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne
Dr Colin Banks - Chair, ACEM Global Emergency Care Committee, Emergency Medicine Physician, Townsville, Queensland; collaboration with Pacific Island Nations Emergency response teams including host online PI nation forum for general support and coordinated response.


​WEBINAR #1 - Friday, 20 March 2020                                             VIMEO link available here.  Recorded session available 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.  


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