IMR conducts open day to showcase work

 By BENNY GETENG

THE Institute of Medical Research (IMR) yesterday held its annual open day at Porebada village, outside Port Moresby, to showcase the work they have been doing in the area.

Site coordinator for Hiri district Dr Patricia Rarau said it was time for the community to get a view of the work the institute had been doing in their area.

The purpose of the day was to have IMR staff share their work with people so they could be aware of the importance of a partnership in health projects jointly operated by IMR, PNG LNG and Population Services International.

“The four big villages of Porebada, Boera, Papa and Lea Lea have been selected because they are located within the LNG site and will have the impact of the project that may lead to certain health and social issues in the community that had to be researched,” Rarau said.

“The partnership in health project covered two parts, health and demographic surveillance systems. 

“Demographics covered aspects such as marriage, births, deaths, inward and outward migration of which annual census was used to capture information, social and economic study survey, verbal autopsy, immunisation, sanitation and water. 

“The other component of the project is health surveillance covering mobility surveillance including pregnancy study, maternal and child reproductive health, sentinel and non-communicable diseases surveillance.”

Penias Brown, a staff of IMR, explained the use of Geographical Information System (GIS) used for the project.

“The application of Global Information System was done for the households in the four mentioned areas by us mapping out different trends and patterns of diseases, especially the LNG impacted areas,” he said.

“Global Information System was the source of data collection.”

Bino Vasisri, a local resident, was pleased with the open day and acknowledged the efforts of research that had been conducted by IMR since 2010.