Background

Naanki is an experienced project and program manager in the public health and international development space having worked in Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Malaysia. She has a particular interest in conducting community-based research projects and evaluations in the Asia-Pacific Region and provides quality assurance and implementation support for such projects in these countries. She has a particular interested in HIV and hepatitis C prevention, diagnosis and treatment, ensuring that the most vulnerable people and communities have access to care as easily and quickly as possible.

Naanki is a Speech Pathologist and also holds a Masters in Public Health (International Health) and is an Associate of Trinity College London in Public Speaking.

In her current role she works closely with the Disease Elimination program director and deputy directors to oversee the strategic direction of the Disease Elimination Program in line with the Institute’s vision and objectives.

Positions

• May 2017 - ongoing: Program Manager, Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute
• June 2014 – May 2017: Research & QA Program Manager, Myanmar, Centre for International Health, Burnet Institute
• Nov 2010-June 2014: International Programs Manager, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University
• Dec 2009-Nov 2010: Grade 2 Speech Pathologist, Stream Leader in Neurosciences, Royal Melbourne Hospital
• July 2009-Jan 2010: Clinical Education Supervisor and Lecturer, School of Human Communication Sciences, La Trobe University
• Dec 2007-April 2009: Project Manager, Operational Cleft Australia Foundation
• Oct 2006-Sept 2007: Speech and Language Therapy Course Coordinator, Australia Youth Ambassador for Development, Centre for Rehabilitation of the Paralysed, Bangladesh
• Feb 2004-Sept 2006: Speech Pathologist, Northern Health

Qualifications

• 2012: ATCL (Public Speaking), Trinity College of Music and Drama, London
• 2011: MPH (International Health), Monash University, Australia
• 2003: B. SpPath (Hons), La Trobe University, Australia

Awards

• 2009: Paul Harris Fellowship, Rotary Foundation of Rotary International

Projects (15)

Current (3)

• Collaborative Community Checklists for Immunisation (CCCI)
  Adapting the WHO Immunisation Checklist to increase the uptake of immunisation in Myanmar.
• Evidence and action for malaria elimination in Myanmar
  Engaging public, private, military and civilian partners for targeted malaria elimination testing in Myanmar.
• Optimal community-delivered malaria elimination models for the Greater Mekong Sub-region
  Developing an elimination model that is acceptable, operational, and cost-effective across GMS countries

Past (12)

• A study to improve the health and rights of Myanmar men who have sex with men
  This research evaluated the effectiveness of ‘Link Up’ services, in men who have sex with men.
• Adolescent reproductive health in Myanmar
  Adolescent reproductive health in Myanmar
• ANCP: Prevention and care for drug-resistant TB in Myanmar
  Implementation and evaluation of a model of drug-resistant TB care to facilitate scale-up in Myanmar.
• Effectiveness of repellent on malaria incidence in SE Myanmar
  A project to determine whether repellent delivered by volunteers will reduce malaria incidence.
• Enhancing education to reduce harms associated with drug use in Yangon, Myanmar
  This project is supporting harm reduction and health care for people who inject drugs and who use drugs.
• Ma Ma Oo - Maternal and Child Health Radio Series Myanmar
  Establishing a health radio program for effective community messaging regarding maternal and child health.
• Maternal Neonatal and Child Health support in Magway Region, Myanmar
  Improved MCH services via support to Township Health Departments and community based interventions.
• MNCH support in Myanmar's Northern Shan State
  This project involves Namhsam, Namtu and Manton townships.
• National TB Research Agenda Workshop for Myanmar: 4-5 September 2014
  Burnet Institute supported the National Tuberculosis Program (NTP) Myanmar to design and implement a national TB research agenda workshop to set the TB research priorities and road map for implementation for the next five years.
• Pathways to post abortion care in Myanmar
  Understanding women's perspectives on accessing post-abortion care at public hospitals.
• Socioeconomic impact of HIV at household level in Myanmar
  This study sought to gain a deeper understanding of the socioeconomic impact of HIV in Myanmar by looking at individual and community groups.
• Working with men to address HIV in Myanmar
  Reducing HIV-related risk, vulnerability and impact among men who have sex with men in Myanmar.

Publications (8)

2019 (2)

• Strengthening Noncommunicable Disease Research Capacity and Chronic Disease Outcomes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries in South Asia: Implementation and Evaluation of the ASCEND Program.
  Byrnes A, Haregu TN, Pasricha N, Singh K, Thirunavukkarasu S, Wickkramasinghe K, Thankappan KR, Oldenburg B
  Asia Pac J Public Health. 2019 Aug; Epub ahead of print
• Relationship between self-efficacy and HIV testing uptake among young men who have sex with men in Myanmar: a cross-sectional analysis.
  Pham MD, Aung PP, Agius PA, Pasricha N, Oo SM, Tun W, Bajracharya A, Luchters S
  Int J STD AIDS. 2019 Jan; 30(1):20-28

2018 (2)

• Effectiveness of repellent delivered through village health volunteers on malaria incidence in villages in South-East Myanmar: a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised controlled trial protocol.
  Win Han Oo, Cutts JC, Agius PA, Kyaw Zayar Aung, Poe Poe Aung, Aung Thi, Nyi Nyi Zaw, Htin Kyaw Thu, Wai Yan Min Htay, Ataide R, O'Flaherty K, Ai Pao Yawn, Aung Paing Soe, Beeson JG, Crabb B, Pasricha N, Fowkes FJI
  BMC Infect Dis. 2018 Dec; 18(1):663
• Measuring individual-level needle and syringe coverage among people who inject drugs in Myanmar.
  O'Keefe D, Aung SM, Pasricha N, Wun T, Linn SK, Lin N, Aitken C, Hughes C, Dietze P
  Int J Drug Policy. 2018 May; 58:22-30

2017 (2)

• Factors associated with HIV testing among young men who have sex with men in Myanmar: a cross-sectional study.
  Pham MD, Aung PP, Paing AK, Pasricha N, Agius PA, Tun W, Bajracharya A, Luchters S
  J Int AIDS Soc. 2017 Nov; 20(3):e25026
• Effectiveness of an integrated community- and clinic-based intervention on HIV testing, HIV knowledge, and sexual risk behavior of young men who have sex with men in Myanmar.
  Aung PP, Ryan C, Bajracharya A, Pasricha N, Thein ZW, Agius PA, Sein TT, Willenberg L, Soe EM, Zaw NT, Tun W, Yam E, Luchters S
  J Adolesc Health. 2017 Feb; 60(2S2):S45-S53

2013 (1)

• Cluster randomised controlled trial of a peer-led lifestyle intervention program: study protocol for the Kerala diabetes prevention program.
  Thirunavukkarasu Sathish, Emily D Williams, Naanki Pasricha, Pilvikki Absetz, Paula Lorgelly, Rory Wolfe, Elezebeth Mathews, Zahra Aziz, Kavumpurathu Raman Thankappan, Paul Zimmet, Edwin Fisher, Robyn Tapp, Bruce Hollingsworth, Ajay Mahal, Jonathan Shaw, Damien Jolley, Meena Daivadanam, Brian Oldenburg
  BMC Public Health. 2013 Nov; 13:1035

2008 (1)

• Communicative satisfaction of male-to-female transsexuals.
  Naanki Pasricha, Georgia Dacakis, Jenni Oates
  Logoped Phoniatr Vocol. 2008 Jan; 33(1):25-34

News Articles (1)

2015 (1)

• Burnet hosts Myanmar Australia Awards Fellows