09:00 - 21:30

09:00 - 18:00 - Registration for symposium participants

19:00 - 19:15 - Opening remarks (Dr Lucy John, MSPNG Secretary)

19:15 - 19:30 - Welcome remarks (Prof Nakapi Tefuarani, President of the Medical Society)

19:30 - 19:45 - Symposium welcome (Mr Ken Wai, Acting Secretary for Health)

19:45 - 21:30 - Meet & Greet

08:15 - 09:20

08:15 - 08:20 - Opening prayer (Rev Roger Joseph)

08:20 - 08:30 - Welcome address (Prof Nakapi Tefuarani)

08:30 - 08:40 - WHO Address (Dr Saia Ma'u Piukala)

08:40 - 09:00 - Patroness' Speech (Hon. Minister Elias Kapavore)

09:00 - 09:20 - Opening of Symposium (PM James Marape)

09:20 - 10:00

09:20 - 09:40 - Addressing One Health in PNG (Mr Ken Wai)

09:40 - 10:00 - Global Health Security & role of One Health (Dr Sergie Bang)

10:00 - 10:20

10:20 - 12:25

10:20 - 10:40 - Keynote (Dr Kachen Wongsathapornchai - FAO PNG)

10:40 - 10:55 - Global Health Security (Prof Jodie McVernon)

10:55 - 11:10 - One Health in the Region (Assoc Prof Aaron Jenkins)

11:10 - 11:25 - One Health Program in PNG (Mr Barry Ropa)

11:25 - 11:40 - Climate Change & Health in PNG (Prof Chalapan Kaluwin)

11:40 - 11:55 - Animal Surveillance for Japanese encephalitis (Bridgit Kavana)

11:55 - 12:10 - One Health responses to alerts (Miriel Boas)

12:10 - 12:25 - Antimicrobial resistance trends (Dr Gabriella Ak)

12:25 - 13:30

13:30 - 15:30

13:30 - 13:45 - Foundational thinking for One Health (Assoc Prof Sandra Steele)

13:45 - 14:00 - Bibliometric Analysis (2020-2024) (Paik Tade)

14:00 - 14:15 - School of Para-Veterinary Sciences (Stephanie Trigin)

14:15 - 14:30 - Performance of Timbunke Cattle Farm (Hallilah Nakumai)

14:30 - 14:45 - Detection of JE Virus from mosquitoes (Joelyn Goi)

14:45 - 15:00 - Water testing & antimicrobial resistance (Temas Ikanofi)

15:00 - 15:15 - Healthcare-associated infections (Stephanie Curtis)

15:15 - 15:30 - Climate change impacts on water (Mattew Greg)

15:30 - 15:45

15:45 - 16:45

Panel with NDOH, DAL, WHO, FAO, NAQIA, PNGIMR

16:45 - 17:30

University of Natural Resources and Environment

19:00 - 22:00

Hosted by Patron of the 2025 Medical Symposium

08:15 - 10:15

08:15 - 08:30 - The Western Pacific Association for Medical Education (WFME): current state, future focus and role in accreditation. (Prof Wayne Hodgson)

08:30 - 08:45 - Hospital-Based Antibiogram at Mount Hagen Specialist Hospital: A Step towards Antimicrobial Stewardship and One Health Surveillance (Elis Polu)

08:45 - 09:00 - A One Health Approach to Animal Surveillance in Papua New Guinea: African Swine Fever (Bridgit Kavana)

09:00 - 09:15 - Long-Term Environmental Surveillance of Sea Surface Temperature, Sea Level Anomaly, and Marine Net Primary Production in East Sepik’s Coastal Estuaries (Bradlee Failou)

09:15 - 09:30 - Estimating the carbon emissions from a resource-limited surgical suite in Papua New Guinea: The climate change potential (Dr Ian Umo)

09:30 - 09:45 - Acute Myocardial Infarction Following Betel Nut Chewing: Insights from Two Cardiac Centres in PNG through a One Health Lens (Dr Dennis Tonny)

09:45 - 10:00 - The changing epidemiology and trends in child and adolescent health (Prof Trevor Duke)

10:00 - 10:15 - Potential of Natural Products from Traditional Medicinal Plants to Mitigate Antimicrobial Resistance through a One Health Approach (Dr Martha Yahimbu)

10:15 - 10:30

10:30 - 12:15

10:30 - 10:45 - Reporting Health Data from Private Health facilities into the National Health Information System: is it working? (Nunua A)

10:45 - 11:00 - Evaluation of the syndromic surveillance in NCD for the reporting period July to December 2024 (Gandi C)

11:00 - 11:15 - Syndromic surveillance evaluation on factors affecting timeliness and completeness in Simbu Province in 2024 (Sasi E)

11:15 - 11:30 - Vanilla Blight Disease Investigation, Wewak District, East Sepik Province (Wangoro K)

11:30 - 11:45 - Evaluating the use of Placenta Disposal Pits in Health Care Facilities of Wewak District (Gabby S)

11:45 - 12:00 - Dysentery outbreak among logging workers, Toki Logging Camp, Nakanai District, West New Britain Province, 17-20 March 2022 (Titang B)

12:00 - 12:15 - Field Investigation of grassland fires in Wosera Gawi District between June 26 and July 11, 2025 (Gossiba A)

10:30 - 12:15

Chairs: Dr Mabone

10:30 - 10:45 - Resourcing the Mt. Hagen Specialist Hospital Laboratory for Microbial Diagnosis and One Health AMR Surveillance: A Fleming Fund Project (Bero R)

10:45 - 11:00 - Community Associated MRSA ST93 Pediatric Osteomyelitis from the Highlands of PNG (Aglua I)

11:00 - 11:15 - Comparative assessment of GeneXpert utilization for tuberculosis, HIV viral load, and COVID-19 assays: Factors affecting utilization in Papua New Guinea (Dopen J)

11:15 - 11:30 - Improving public health surveillance in Papua New Guinea using molecular tools: An initiative from the Divine Word University (Ibalam S)

11:30 - 11:45 - T-cell populations are negatively correlated with NKG7 natural killer cells and macrophages in TB-infected lymph nodes (Barrows LR)

11:45 - 12:00 - Fluoroquinolone resistant tuberculosis in Daru - an ongoing concern: Retrospective review and geospatial analysis of pre-XDR cases 2014-2025 (Aintum I)

12:00 - 12:15 - Sepsis and Antimicrobial Resistance in Papua New Guinea: A One Health Call to Urgent, Unified Action (Siddiqui A)

10:30 - 12:15

Chairs: Dr Henry Welsh

10:30 - 10:45 - Epidemiology of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and performance of molecular drug susceptibility testing (Xpert MTB/XDR), Papua New Guinea (Isom K)

10:45 - 11:00 - The characteristics of Asymptomatic Tuberculosis in community TB screening project (SWEEP-TB) in Daru (Aung A)

11:00 - 11:15 - Initial experience of BPaL(M) regimen in drug resistant tuberculosis patients in Western Province (Watari K)

11:15 - 11:30 - Prevalence of Tuberculosis (TB) among Pregnant Women in community TB screening program (SWEEP-TB) in Daru (Willie D)

11:30 - 11:45 - High uptake of Tuberculin Skin Testing (TST) in 5-34 years old in a community TB screening project in Daru (Krangiae I)

11:45 - 12:00 - Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment Uptake and Completion Outcomes in a Community-Based TB Intervention: Experience from the SWEEP TB Project, Daru (Pelgep J)

12:00 - 12:15 - Decentralized Community-Based Active Contact Investigation for Drug-Susceptible Tuberculosis in South Fly: TB diagnostic yield and prevention uptake (Gula B)

12:15 - 13:15

13:15 - 15:00

Chairs: Prof Guldan

13:15 - 13:30 - An assessment of dose area product in paediatric patients undergoing CHET examinations (Nangusi R)

13:30 - 13:45 - Assessment of knowledge, attitude, practice and concern about radiation protection and radiation safety among imaging students and medical imaging technicians in PNG (Lavai S)

13:45 - 14:00 - Evaluation of influence and responses to Newcastle Disease in the poultry industry, ENB: A One Health Approach (Kasimirus B)

14:00 - 14:15 - Impact of volcanic eruptions on the displacement of the human population in East New Britain Province - A One Health Approach (Wartovo J)

14:15 - 14:30 - Exploring COVID-19’s impact on food security and One Health in urban and rural East New Britain, Papua New Guinea (Pachichi N)

14:30 - 14:45 - Comparative assessment of nutritional status and dietary quality in under-five children in public vs private preschools in Port Moresby (Tude J)

14:45 - 15:00 - Assessment of paediatric congenital heart disease prevalence by echocardiography at the cardiac diagnostic centre, PMGH (Warkarat X)

13:15 - 15:00

Chairs: Dr Neuendorf

13:15 - 13:30 - Infection, Antimicrobials and Gender: Overview of a community-based qualitative study in Papua New Guinea (Haua F)

13:30 - 13:45 - Community perceptions about residual spraying to reduce malaria transmission and livestock protection in Papua New Guinea (Manuv K)

13:45 - 14:00 - Assessment of knowledge and attitude regarding Hepatitis B infection, vaccination and its sero-prevalence among health care workers in PMGH (Moyareka J)

14:00 - 14:15 - Exploring local understanding and practices of gender equality, disability and social inclusion in Galue, ENB (Humombari F)

14:15 - 14:30 - Insights on shortages of medicines and its impacts on patient outcomes in selected facilities in Jiwaka Province (Dorum M)

14:30 - 14:45 - Investigating knowledge, attitude, and practice of penile injection among men with penile fibroma at PMGH (Yembinaro J)

14:45 - 15:00 - Examining factors related to the implementation of Community Based Rehabilitation follow-up programs by the Creative Self-Help Center in Madang (Barnabas C)

13:15 - 15:00

Chairs: Prof Laman M & Prof Robinson L

13:15 - 13:30 - The burden of Plasmodium vivax in the region and novel strategies for improving the effectiveness of P. vivax case management (Robinson L)

13:30 - 13:45 - Plasmodium vivax in Papua New Guinea and opportunities to reduce the burden through more effective case management (Laman M)

13:45 - 14:00 - SCOPE study - The safety, feasibility and impact of implementing G6PD testing and high daily dose primaquine (Ome-Kaius M)

14:00 - 14:15 - Community engagement and utilization of Community-based Health Workers for Day-3 clinical follow-up (Malai M)

14:15 - 14:30 - Evidence on improving P. vivax case management from Indonesia (Pitaloka A)

14:30 - 14:45 - Insights from patients, health workers, and subnational stakeholders on SCOPE’s revised case management for P. vivax malaria (Kerry Z)

14:45 - 15:00 - Panel discussion with selected PHAs, PNG NMCP, MoH Vanuatu, MoH Solomon Islands, Indonesian team (Panel)

15:00 - 15:15

15:15 - 16:30

15:15 - 15:30 - The Papua New Guinea Snakebite Partnership (Roalakona G)

15:30 - 15:45 - One Health, One Future: DWU’s Medical School for a One Health World (Kuzma J)

15:45 - 16:00 - Using feedback from stakeholders, graduates, and students to review the Bachelor of Health Sciences curriculum at DWU (Baigry M)

16:00 - 16:15 - From classroom to clinic: Evaluating medical simulation training in HEO students at DWU (Benjamin J)

16:15 - 16:30 - Effect of Moringa on blood sugar level (Yuangu W)

15:15 - 16:30

15:15 - 15:30 - High rates of stroke admissions observed at Port Moresby General Hospital - One-year clinical experience (Toua W)

15:30 - 15:45 - A decade of surgical research at Alotau PH-MBPHA: Advancing One Health through Evidence-Based Practice in PNG (James K)

15:45 - 16:00 - Comprehensive evaluation of endoscopic third ventriculostomy for obstructive hydrocephalus (Xing Y)

16:00 - 16:15 - Admission blood sugar level as a clinical determinant of mortality in COVID-19 patients in Port Moresby (Millan G)

16:15 - 16:30 - Facility-based screening for tuberculosis in pregnant and postpartum women in PNG (Masta P)

15:15 - 16:30

Chairs: Assoc Prof Stephan Karl

15:15 - 15:30 - Establishing molecular epidemiology for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) to support future therapeutic intervention in children under 5 years in PNG (Anthony A)

15:30 - 15:45 - Identification of a Dengue Cluster reported through Sentinel Febrile Illness Surveillance in Port Moresby, 2025 (Elliot M)

15:45 - 16:00 - Strengthening mosquito vector surveillance in Papua New Guinea (Gideon S)

16:00 - 16:15 - National Influenza Centre - a One Health platform for integrated detection of pandemic threats (Kisa D)

16:15 - 16:30 - Prevalence of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in populations in and around selected pig farms in PNG (Dima H)

08:00 - 10:30

08:00 - 08:15 - What is quality in global context? (Assoc Prof Wyne Morris)

08:15 - 08:30 - EMR systems in PNG Hospitals (Dr David Mills)

08:30 - 08:45 - Evolution of Cardiothoracic Surgery (Dr Noah Tapaua)

08:45 - 09:00 - First Kidney Transplant in PNG (Dr Damien Hasola)

09:00 - 09:15 - Neglected Tropical Diseases (Dr Lucy John)

09:15 - 09:30 - History of Anaesthesia in PNG (Dr Arvin Karu)

09:30 - 09:45 - One Health & Trachoma (Benjamin Zuvani)

09:45 - 10:00 - Clinical paper (Dr Downs)

10:00 - 10:15 - Lecture (Prof Michael Jackson)

10:15 - 10:30 - Orbitocranial Injuries from Spear Assaults (Dr Benjamin Thomas)

10:30 - 10:45

10:45 - 12:30

10:45 - 11:00 - Linezolid vs Azithromycin for Yaws (Wendy Houinei)

11:00 - 11:15 - Spatial repellent against mosquito-borne diseases (Michelle Katusele)

11:15 - 11:30 - Double burden of malnutrition in PNG children (Peggy Kala)

11:30 - 11:45 - Probiotics in infants (Eastern Highlands) (Tilda Orami)

11:45 - 12:00 - Determinants of LLIN Usage in South Fly (Jessica Marakan)

12:00 - 12:15 - Prescribing & dispensing practices (Cameron Jack)

12:15 - 12:30 - Discussion

12:30 - 13:30

13:30 - 16:30

17:00 - 22:00

Stanley Hotel