TEPHINET Bi-Regional Conference
Sharing experiences, strengthening health systems
Over three hundred health workers and experts from 23 countries gathered in Siem Reap, Cambodia to exchange ideas, updates, breakthroughs, and experiences in disease prevention efforts with their international colleagues.
The government of the Kingdom of Cambodia graciously hosted TEPHINET‘s eighth Bi-Regional Conference from November 28 to December 2, 2016 with the theme, Global Health Security through Local Health Sustainability.
Co-organized by SAFETYNET, the five-day event featured 105 Oral Presentations given over a four day period at multiple venues of the Apsara Palace Resort and Conference Center.
Awards for best oral presentations were given at the closing ceremonies of the conference.
Top honors went to Australian National University’s Dr Jonathan Malo MAE for his presentation: Estimating the risk of recurrent invasive pneumococcal disease - Queensland, Australia, 2001-2015.
Second place was awarded to Taiwan FETP’s Dr Hao-Yuan Cheng for her session: Containing influenza outbreaks with antiviral use in long-term care facilities in Taiwan, 2008-2013.
Third place was given to Thailand FETP’s Dr. Phanathee Thitichai for the presentation: Should Thailand have zero tolerance laws for young drivers?
Out of the 88 poster presentations at the conference, awards were given to the following:
1st Place (Tie): Meningococcal disease outbreak related to the World Scout Jamboree — Japan, 2015 (Mizue Kanai, Japan FETP) and Clinical Epidemiological Characteristics of Scrub Typhus in Khanh Hoa Province, Viet Nam, 2013-14 (Thanh Dong Nguyen, VTN FETP)
2nd Place (Tie): The first MERS-CoV case in Malaysia, April 2014 - Opportunity to Assess the Infection Prevention and Control Practices among the Health Care Workers in a Government District Hospital, Malaysia (Thilaka Chinnayah, Malaysia EIP), Tourist Knowledge and Behaviors toward Rabies Prevention — Ubud Bali, Indonesia, 2014 (I Nyoman Purnawan, Indonesian FETP), and Metropolitan Typhoid Outbreak in the Klang Valley (Rohani HJ Ismail, Malaysia EIP)
3rd Place: Health Facility Register Review for AFP case surveillance in 12 high risk provinces of Lao PDR, January 2014 to December 2015 (Bouaphanh Khamphaphongphane, Lao FETP)
A Special Citation for Outstanding Public Health Response was given to Lao FETP in recognition of their outstanding coordinated response to the outbreak of vaccine-derived polio virus in 2015-16.
Citation
Session topics at the conference included the following:
Future Directions and Strategies for Health Security in the Asia Pacific Region
Investigation of Wildlife Poisoning incidents
Improving Surveillance to Identify and Control Foodborne Disease: The Role of FETP Fellows
Project ECHO for Field Epidemiology Workforce Development
Ethical Principles in Epidemics and Health Emergencies
Lessons from Response to MERS-CoV
Modified Field Epidemiology Training Programs
Applied Management Training Programs
Prior to the actual conference, seven pre-conference workshops were conducted.
Advanced Course for EpiCore Members (Skoll Global Threat s Fund)
Avian Influenza A (H5N1) and Other Influenza Viruses in Cambodia (IPC/WHO Cambodia)
Interpreting Surveillance Results in the Setting of a Dynamically Evolving System (Michael O’Reilly /SAFETYNET)
Scientific Writing (WHO WPRO/WPSAR)
Training FETPs to Understand, Clean, Analyze, and Present Surveillance Data (FETP Japan/NIID)
Improving Field Epidemiology Training to Strengthen Workforce Competency in Southeast Asia (ANU)
Translating Research Policy into Policy Recommendations (CLSU/SAFETYNET)
Delegates and resource persons were also treated to stimulating tours of the nearby Cambodian Cultural Village, and the world’s largest religious monument, the Angkor Wat complex.
Welcome remarks by TEPHINET Executive Director Dionisio Herrera Guibert
Cambodia’s Minister of Health His Excellency Mam Bun Heng opens the Bi-Regional Conference
SAFETYNET Executive Director Dr. Consorcia L. Quizon with TEPHINET Executive Director Prof. Dionisio Herrera Guibert
Philippines Department of Health Assisant Secretary and SAFETYNET Board Member Dr. Enrique A. Tayag greets Cambodia’s Minister of Health His Excellency Mam Bun Heng at the Conference opening.
Attendees at the opening ceremonies of the 8th TEPHINET Bi-Regional Conference
Dignitaries at the opening ceremonies of the 8th TEPHINET Bi-Regional Conference
ProMED's Marjorie Pollack conducts Epicore workshop