WLI Alumna Susan Aipit has forged new connections and learned new ways to support clinical health practice and research in Madang, Papua New Guinea, after attending an expert-filled international health conference in Brisbane.
As an alumna of the Women’s Developmental Leadership Program, Susan was supported to participate in the 2024 Communicable Diseases and Immunisation Conference - bringing the public health sector together to explore opportunities and challenges for prevention and control of communicable and vaccine-preventable diseases.
Susan says the experience not only built her confidence and networks to drive public health outcomes, but also made use of valuable leadership skills and tools she has been developing through WLI - including her practice of self-care during times of high intensity.
The three-day Communicable Diseases and Immunisation Conference was convened in June 2024 by the Communicable Diseases Network Australia, the Public Health Association of Australia, and the Public Health Laboratory Network.
With the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on healthcare provision still being felt globally, the 2024 conference brought together a diverse group of public health practitioners, researchers, academics, and regional and global experts and leaders to learn, collaborate, and network.
According to Susan, the conference featured a “great line-up of incredible speakers” and opportunities to connect with “amazing and like-minded people, share work experiences, exchange contact details, and initiate discussions about how we can work together into the future”.
As a public health nurse and leader of over a decade, Susan has developed educational programs and strategies to aid hospitals recording and controlling infectious cases and knows first-hand the importance of effective collaboration.
Through the conference and its related events - including a gala dinner and awards presentation - Susan met a range of practitioners and experts with whom she has now formed connections to support health research and practices in PNG.
Among these new networks was a group of practitioners developing a “blended learning course” to upskill vaccine service providers in an intradermal injection technique that could potentially be introduced in PNG to save limited Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine supplies needed to prevent the transmission of Tuberculosis (TB).
“We are brainstorming as to how they could extend their expertise to deliver training to our midwives and paediatric nurses in Madang, as it is imperative that the scarce supplies of BCG vaccine are correctly and safely administered intradermally to avoid wastage and boost our TB prevention program,” Susan explained.
Susan also met with Dr Maria Castellanos Reynosa, a Lecturer in Infectious Disease from the James Cook University, where Susan earned her Master of Public Health while on Award.
“I met with Dr Castellanos Reynosa, who is an expert in clinical management of TB as well as prevention, who gave me her updated contacts and volunteered support, should my hospital need her technical advice or assistance in the future,” Susan explained.
Susan shared that Dr Castellanos Reynosa has also agreed to supervise her research.
While expanding her networks, Susan also met colleagues who gifted her hand hygiene training materials which she has already brought back to Madang Province for use by healthcare workers.
“Our local paediatricians have already used the training materials in their ‘essential newborn care training’ this week,” Susan added.
Now home in PNG, Susan says she is “grateful” to have had the opportunity to learn about the most up-to-date best practices of communicable disease control and immunisation, and collaborate more closely with public health experts in the region.
“Attending the conference boosted my confidence and empowered me to contribute constructively to public health prevention programs in close consultation with local and international experts’ networks,” Susan added.
For now, Susan is advocating for healthcare workers’ access to vaccination programs in both hospitals and rural health care facilities – which is an area that is “lacking or not in practice” that Susan believes could be easily established, given the cost of vaccination is already covered by PNG’s healthcare system.
Susan explains, “I am grateful for the opportunity and would like to thank WLI for the leadership training and coaching, because it has created self-awareness in me and helped to build my courage.
“The conference was intensive and on 'rapid fire mode', but I managed to find time in-between to mediate, relax and prioritise self-care to cope with the long days and rigorous program line up.”
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Through the WLI Leaders Hub, alumni of the Women’s Developmental Leadership Program like Susan apply for and access workplace internships and professional development opportunities, including supported participation in international conferences.
