Aileen Joy Plant Oration
| Wednesday, June 11, 2025 |
| 5:00 PM - 5:45 PM |
| Halls CD Lower Section |
Overview
Orator: Professor Andrew Steer
Details
About Prof. Aileen Joy Plant:
Professor Plant was a renowned and highly respected public health physician and epidemiologist. She was a consultant to the World Health Organization and to the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing for the management and prevention of infectious disease outbreaks and a long standing and active member of the Communicable Disease Network of Australia. She was passionate about her work and travelled extensively, often at great risk to herself, to help people and countries in need of her expertise.
Session Chair:
Dr Louise Flood - Medical Lead Communicable Disease Control Branch, SA Health
Speaker
Prof Andrew Steer
Director of Infection, Immunity and Global Health
Murdoch Children's Research Institute
Small but mitey: public health controls of neglected diseases and Australia’s contribution to global health
5:00 PM - 5:45 PMAbstract
Australia has made an out-sized contribution to global health, especially in the Indo-Pacific region. At a time of uncertainty in global health, and as major donors retreat from their commitments to multi-lateral public health organisations including the World Health Organization, Australia has an opportunity to step up as an international leader. I will frame this and other opportunities by tracing historical highlights of Australia’s contributions, outlining the current landscape, and describing Australia’s role in public health control of neglected tropical diseases. I will explore milestones in the public health control of scabies and draw upon my collaborative team’s research in curbing the impact of this miserable mite.
