Two prominent Charles Darwin University (CDU) researchers have obtained funding to develop tools and techniques for mapping health data in eastern Indonesia.
CDU’s Dr Bronwyn Myers and Rohan Fisher, from the School of Environmental & Life Sciences, were informed of their AUSAID funding win at a recent awards night.
Dr Myers said that basic health levels in Indonesia continued to be a major concern, especially maternal and neonatal health among the poor and rural communities of eastern Indonesia.
“The national health initiative, Healthy Indonesia 2010, promotes the paradigms of disease prevention and health promotion with health decision-making moved from the national to local (district) level,” she said.
“This project will build capacity at the district level for the efficient collection and analysis of health data, and demonstrate its use for effective health service delivery at the village level for sites in three districts.”
The project will build on the successful development and use of Geographic Information Systems for improved natural resource management in the target districts by adding health data to existing environmental and demographic layers.
Training will include the use of free health data mapping software developed by the World Health Organisation, geographic field data collection techniques and position allocation analysis for efficient health infrastructure development planning.
The first activity will be an introductory workshop in Kupang at the start of September.
For more information visit the project website at healthpslp.cdu.edu.au.