Good news for medical research and learning exchange opportunities for staff and students following the establishment of a collaborative initiative between the Fiji National University’s (FNU) College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (CMNHS) and Otago Global Health Institute (OGHI).

Associate Dean Research at CMNHS, Dr Donald Wilson, who is also the Director of the new Fiji Institute of Pacific Health Research (FIPHR) said the partnership would strengthen medical studies in Fiji as well as provide a platform for greater research in areas of interest.

“The new FIPHR was established to co-ordinate better all research conducted by our College staff and students and our collaborative research experience over the years has proven that funding agencies require the ability to demonstrate reliable and transparent research administration and financial processes.”

“The structure of the new FIPHR meets these requirements, so its establishment has been strategic.”

“The relationship with OGHI was formalised following the attendance of a few researchers from OGHI at the successful Pacific Islands Health Research Symposium (PIHRS) that was held last year.”

“There is no doubt that the relationship with OGHI will benefit not just both countries and institutions, but the greater Pacific region,” Dr Wilson highlighted.

OGHI, a flagship research centre of the University of Otago (UO), is investing in new research initiatives in collaboration with the College to help address health problems in the country.

Co-Director of the Otago Global Health Institute, Professor Philip Hill, says the Institute is investing $100,000 in five new research projects over the next two years.

“We hope to lay the foundation for long-term research collaborations, which will lead to research that addresses the most pressing health problems in Fiji and East Timor.”

One of the initiatives involves CMNHS Assistant Lecturer, Sakiusa Cabe Baleivanualala, who has been awarded a PhD Scholarship by UO, to conduct a study into the transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital. His supervisor will be Associate Professor James Ussher from the Division of Health Sciences.

Institute Co-Director, Dr Patrick Vakaoti, explains the initiative is a statement of intent to work together with fellow researchers in Fiji and other countries to build collaboration and capacity to conduct internationally-competitive research, under the Memoranda of Understanding that has been established.

The other research projects beginning this year include:

Dr Gade Waqa, from the FIPHR based at CMNHS will lead a mixed-methods study to explore determinants of behaviour, along with knowledge and practice in relation to non-communicable disease in Fijian women.  Dr Vakaoti, will be her primary research partner at Otago.

People living with HIV in Fiji will be the focus of research to be conducted as a Masters degree project by CMNHS Assistant Lecturer, Atlesh Sudhakar, under the supervision of Professor Miguel E. Quiñones-Mateu’s. Professor Quinones-Mateu and Sudhakar will use a deep sequencing-based HIV genotyping assay to fully characterise genomically, for the first time, the HIV epidemic in people living with HIV in Fiji.

The Otago Global Health Institute is a research centre within the University of Otago and its main aim is to work with partners both in New Zealand and globally to help find solutions to tackle pressing global health problems.

Please be advised that the Fiji National University Labasa Campus will be closed tomorrow, Friday 17 January due to the impending adverse weather situation.

All staff and students based at the FNU Labasa Campus have been advised to stay home.

This message is from the Fiji National University Vice-Chancellor Professor Nigel Healey.

Dr Donald Wilson (Front left) with Dr Gade Waqa and Sakiusa Cabe Baleivanualala and Atlesh Sudhakar.