Examples of public health interventions implemented by FETPNG fellows, 2013–2018
| HIV | HIV screening of mothers visiting antenatal care increased from 75% to 99% and treatment coverage for HIV-positive mothers from 76% to 100% (Western Highlands Province) through advocacy and improving linkages to care and treatment. A total of 364 women were on treatment by the end of the training |
| HIV/TB | HIV screening among TB cases increased from 24% to 62% (HIV prevalence of 24%); 50 new coinfections were detected, and patients referred for anti-retroviral therapy (Enga Province). Anti-retroviral therapy uptake in TB/HIV coinfected patients increased from 50% to 90% in integrated HIV/TB sites and from 20% to 70% in non-integrated HIV/TB sites (National Capital District) |
| Outbreak | Typhoid outbreak investigation at a boarding school determined aetiology and source of the outbreak through a cohort study. FETPNG Fellow identified sanitation facilities for males as the source of the outbreak, dispelling community perception around contaminated water sources. Funds were secured to instal new latrines/septic system (Southern Highlands Province) |
| Typhoid | Study in provincial hospital highlighted the poor specificity of the Widal test for typhoid fever diagnosis. Based on these results, the hospital updated its typhoid testing policy, saving 75 000 Papua New Guinea Kina (US$ 22 000) annually (Western Province) |
| Malaria | Through education and process improvements, FETPNG Fellow reduced inappropriate antimalarial treatment (based on negative Rapid Diagnostic Test) from 26% to 3% (Madang Province) |
| Measles | FETPNG Fellow responded to a measles outbreak in an armed tribal conflict zone. Large number of people had migrated out of zone into other subdistricts. Fellow set up supplemental vaccination programme and treatment centres for children, analysed estimated coverage and developed a successful vaccine supply strategy in a complex emergency setting (Hela Province) |
| Immunisation | Fellow increased number of vaccination clinic sites from 16 to 38 and increased cumulative pentavalent coverage from 40% to 60% in 1 year (East New Britain Province) |
| Supervised delivery | Through service improvement and collaboration with volunteer birth attendants, Fellow increased the number of supervised deliveries to 15, almost double the average of the same period over the prior 3 years (Morobe Province) |
| Sexual violence | FETPNG Fellow increased adherence to post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for survivors of sexual violence from 21% to 75% through the introduction of four cost-effective interventions: provision of anti-emetics, cash for transport to clinic, implementation of a PEP clinic log-book, and follow-up reminder calls (National Capital District) |
| Child sexual violence | Fellow identified a suburb of Port Moresby with particularly high rates of Child Sexual Violence (CSV). Targeted education via schools, university, media and community resulted in a fourfold increase in CSV presentations to clinic and improvement in the timeliness of presentations, from 42% within 72 hours to 55% within 72 hours (National Capital District) |
| Data quality and utilisation | Completeness of HIV surveillance reporting was increased from 51% to 100% following active follow-up via SMS, phone and radio transmissions (West Sepik Province) |
FETPNG, field epidemiology training programme of Papua New Guinea; TB, tuberculosis.