Maternal and Child Health

Major research program underway

The rate of maternal and child death in PNG is staggeringly high. Our research is identifying new solutions to reduce mortality.

Women and children continue to suffer significant illness from preventable causes, particularly in resource-poor countries in our region.

Achieving greater equity in maternal and child health particularly in resource-poor and high-risk communities in our region, requires an urgent need to develop and promote new strategies, tools and policies.

Women and children continue to die and suffer significant illness from preventable causes. Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies is a collaborative research program aimed at providing life-saving health care for women and children in Papua New Guinea, where the rate of maternal and child death is staggeringly high. Tragically, more than 5000 babies die in their first year of life.

Burnet is also working with many communities to better understand and address the underlying factors that prevent access to crucial health care services such as family planning, postnatal and newborn care, vaccinations, management of childhood illnesses and nutrition.

Through the Maternal and Child Health program Burnet is committing to making a major contribution to:

Improving reproductive health, with a focus on pre-conception health
Reducing maternal and newborn mortality, and prevention of other adverse pregnancy outcomes
Reducing preventable causes of morbidity and mortality of children, and optimising growth and development
Advancement of gender equality, and prevention of gender-based violence
Increasing the capacity of health professionals, researchers, policy makers and the general community in maternal and child health, through education and training in Australia and globally.

Download

Program Goals and Objectives (69.3 KB)

Contact Details

Doctor Elissa Kennedy

Co-Program Director, Maternal and Child Health; Co-Head Global Adolescent Health

Telephone

+61392822119

Email

elissa.kennedy@burnet.edu.au

Projects

A novel gel for targeting vaginal inflammation to prevent HIV transmission
Developing an intravaginal gel delivering a vaginal microbiota metabolite.
A profile of adolescent health in Myanmar
Adolescents make up a significant proportion of the population in Myanmar, but their health needs remain poorly described.
Accelerating access to postnatal care and chlorhexidine in PNG
Scaling-up implementation and education relating to the postnatal period and introducing chlorhexidine for use by families.
Accelerating ART initiation among Infants (AAMI Study)
This project will trial the POC VISITECT® CD4 test and POC LYNX HIV p24 early infant diagnostic test.
Accelerating healthy agriculture and nutrition
The overall objective of this multi-sectoral action is to create supportive conditions for enhanced household nutrition.
ACORN Nutrition Project - PNG
A program to identify and address key determinants of child undernutrition in PNG.
Addressing adolescent sexual and reproductive health in the Pacific
Adolescents in the Pacific experience a significant burden of preventable poor sexual and reproductive health
ANCP Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies
The sustainability and expansion phase of the ANCP Healthy Mothers, Health Babies project.
Antibody mAbs to destroy infection: engineering the next generation treatments
Applying discoveries from our cancer mAb program to neutralize and destroy pathogens.
Burnet Microbiome Initiative
Pilot study to characterise the vaginal microbiome in women from the HMHB cohort.
Collaborative Community Checklists for Immunisation (CCCI)
Adapting the WHO Immunisation Checklist to increase the uptake of immunisation in Myanmar.
Developing vaccines against malaria
This project aims to identify key antigens and specific epitopes that are targets of protective immunity.
Development of a point-of-care test for neonatal sepsis
Aimed at enabling healthcare workers to provide initial diagnosis in resource-constrained settings.
Development of hydrogel based intravaginal drug delivery device
Developing an intravaginal ring to deliver a microbiota metabolite.
Discovering the mechanisms and targets of immunity against malaria
Identifying the key targets of protective immunity in people who live in malaria-endemic regions.
Document the Lessons Learnt from the Joint Initiative on Maternal Neonatal and Child Health (JIMNCH), Ayerwady Region, Myanmar. 2013
The Joint Initiative for Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health was a collaborative programme aiming to increase access to maternal and child health services in areas most affected by Cyclone Nargis
Gender Counts
A quantitative assessment of gender inequality and its impacts on children and adolescents in Asia and the Pacific.
Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies
A collaborative research program aimed at providing life-saving health care for women and children in PNG.
HMHB - Health Services for Postnatal and Infancy Care
Focuses on services during postnatal period and through the first 12 months in East New Britain, PNG.
HMHB: The impact of nutrition, malaria and STIs on pregnant women and infants
Determining the major preventable causes of poor maternal health and low birth weight of babies in PNG.
HS-RDT MiP: Clinical Performance of HRP2 Rapid Diagnostic Test for Malaria Diagnosis in Pregnant Women in PNG
This project will compare the performance of novel high sensitivity Plasmodium falciparum rapid diagnostic tests with conventional malaria rapid diagnostic tests in pregnant women in Papua New Guinea
Immunity to malaria during pregnancy
How are pregnant women affected by infectious diseases such as malaria?
Improved point-of-care test to eliminate congenital syphilis
Optimising and validating an innovative test to enable immediate treatment at the point of care.
Increasing demand and uptake of quality, facility-based services, Zimbabwe
Reducing maternal and neonatal deaths in Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe.
Inequalities in sexual and reproductive health in Asia and the Pacific
Despite progress to improve sexual and reproductive health in the region, significant inequalities in health outcomes and access to essential care remain.
Integrated multi-sectoral approach to improve the SRH of young people (10 to 18 years) in Magwey, Myanmar (IMSA)
This formative study provides evidence of current knowledge and attitudes among adolescents.
Integrated solutions for healthy birth, growth, and development in Lao PDR
Testing the effectiveness of an integrated package of community-based interventions.
Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing
The Commission will consider the next steps needed to implement the available evidence in global adolescent health.
MNCH support in Myanmar's Northern Shan State
This project involves Namhsam, Namtu and Manton townships.
New approaches to the treatment of lupus
Research into an early intervention diagnostic test for Lupus, which is particularly dangerous to women.
Non-communicable diseases in adolescents in Indonesia
An investigation of the burden of these diseases amongst Indonesian 16-18 year-olds.
Pathways to post abortion care in Myanmar
Understanding women's perspectives on accessing post-abortion care at public hospitals.
Perspectives of an inhaled oxytocin intervention for the prevention of postpartum haemorrhage
This study will guide the development and facilitate the future implementation of inhaled oxytocin in three diverse country settings.
Predicting quality and potency of monoclonal and natural antibodies
Rapid, simple and scalable assays for predicting antibody potency.
Promoting WASH-nutrition integration in Cambodia
A stakeholder consultation to identify barriers to the efforts to improve WASH and nutrition.
Sexual and reproductive health in Asia and the Pacific
A review of issues, policies and programmes.
The Last Taboo: Menstrual hygiene interventions in the Pacific
Research in Fiji, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea to understand the challenges around menstruation.
The Mbereko + Men Model: Rural Zimbabwe
A community-based program to improve MNCH services, care and support in the home.
Vaccines against Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum malaria
This involves identifying and prioritising candidate antigens for vaccine development.
WHISPER and SHOUT - mHealth interventions among Kenyan sex workers
Mobile phone-based health promotions sent to sex workers in Mombasa.

Latest News

14 March, 2019

NHMRC Research Excellence Award for sepsis diagnostic test

Burnet Institute acknowledged for the highest ranked Development Grant in the 2018 funding rounds.
20 February, 2019

New PNG collaboration

Burnet Institute is collaborating with Papua New Guinea’s National Department of Health to improve health evidence, services and outcomes in PNG.

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25 April, 2019

World Malaria Day

Malaria remains endemic in around 100 countries with more than three billion people at risk.

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Equity through better health

Maternal and Child Health

Major research program underway