Asia Pacific Journal of Pediatric and Child Health

Abstract Ref Number = APCP1267

Poster Presentation

SYDNEY GLOBAL CHILD HEALTH NETWORK

Elizabeth Elliott,Ben Marais,Mu Li,Anne Marie Thow,Louise Baur,Sarah Bernays,Nicholas Wood,Camille RaynesGreenow,Kirsten Black,Gulam Khandaker,Nadia Badawi The University of Sydney

Background : Women, children and adolescents in low and middle income countries (LMICs) experience high levels of mortality and morbidity from infections and non-communicable disease. Researchers at the University of Sydney are contributing to make a positive difference, but there is no formalised academic community to coordinate, facilitate and support their collective. Case Presentation Summary : We present the “case” of a new Global Child Health Network established at the University of Sydney, which hopes to promote collaborative multidisciplinary research. Specific objectives are to: 1) Encourage epidemiological, clinical, operational (including health services and health economics) and policy research to reduce childhood morbidity (including disability) and mortality, emphasising locally sustainable solutions. 2) Explore opportunities for cross-country, multi-centre trials and research collaboration. 3) Synthesise and disseminate high quality evidence that guides clinical and population health practice and supports policy development to improve the health of children, pregnant women and adolescents. 4) Support research capacity building in partnerships with local (in-country) academic institutions by linking talented students from Australia and overseas to postgraduate training and research opportunities. 5) Provide a forum to showcase research outputs and facilitate collaboration between groups that have an active interest in global child health, in Sydney and collaborating LMICs. 6) Link with relevant national and international initiatives. Identified research themes include: 1) Nutrition, 2) Infection and immunisation, 3) The first 1000 days and 4) Chronic disease and disability. Learning Points/Discussion :

Functional Global Child Health networks are required to facilitate world-leading collaborative research that improves the health of pregnant women, children and adolescents in LMICs. The Sydney Global Child Health Network will link researchers across all relevant disciplines within the University of Sydney, encourage a new generation of health care workers with a global health focus and work with the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network to do clinical outreach and capacity building within the Indo-Pacific region.

Keywords: Global Child Health Disability