ACRI, RTI looks into the Health Security Policy Landscape in the Philippines

The Philippines faces significant health security challenges due to its vulnerability to natural disasters, frequent disease outbreaks, and the unique demands of its devolved health system. To address these pressing issues, the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Center for Research and Innovation teamed up with RTI International to assess the country’s health security policies. The project set out to map existing policies, identify overlaps and gaps, and propose practical recommendations to strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to health threats. It also sought to align national policies with global standards such as the International Health Regulations (IHR).

ACRI Biotechnology Flagship Program Completes Successful Nanopore Sequencing Training

The Ateneo Center of Research and Innovation's Biotechnology Flagship Program conducted a three-day genomics and sequencing workshop at the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health. Participants from research and academic departments received hands-on training with Oxford Nanopore's MinION portable sequencing device, covering lectures and practical experience in DNA library preparation and bioinformatics analysis.

Hands-On Learning, Hands-Off Hazards: Chemical Safety in the Classroom

On June 11, 2024, the EcoWaste Coalition and Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health (ASMPH) Centre for Research and Innovation (ACRI) held a seminar at Caloocan High School on chemical safety in classrooms, attended by around 100 teachers and school leaders. Dr. Geminn Louis C. Apostol led a plenary on potential chemical hazards and mitigation strategies, followed by interactive breakout sessions where teachers identified hazards and created educational materials promoting chemical safety. Facilitators, including experts from ACRI and SEAOHUN, supported the discussions. EcoWaste's Sir Manny Calonzo emphasized the risks of heavy metals in tarpaulins, crayons, and markers, advocating for toxic-free materials. The event is part of an ongoing partnership to empower educators in creating safer learning environments for Filipino children.

Samantha Eala and University of Melbourne team wins the the Indo-Pacific Global Health Case Competition

The Ateneo Center for Research and Innovation is proud to share that Samantha Eala together with her team won the Indo-Pacific Global Health Case Competition held on September 9. Samantha, an ACRI Junior Research Fellow, Master of Public Health student at the University of Melbourne, and Australia Awards scholar, clinched first place in this formidable challenge, which attracts bright minds from universities across Australia and the Indo-Pacific region. The focus of this year's competition was to develop actionable strategies to address malaria in Papua New Guinea. Participating teams were given two weeks to craft their solutions and had the opportunity to present their ideas in a 20-minute session to a panel comprised of renowned professionals and academics from the public health sector across the region. The event was organised by the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health and supported by the University of Melbourne Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Sciences. It was notably the largest to date, with 28 teams from five countries and more than 150 participants.

ACRI Junior Research Fellow Samantha Eala Selected for the Wattle Fellowship

The Ateneo Center for Research and Innovation is proud to share that Samantha Eala, Junior Research Fellow, University of Melbourne Master of Public Health student, and Australia Awards scholar, has been selected as a Wattle Fellow. This prestigious fellowship is part of a year-long program designed to foster leadership on global sustainability, emphasising multidisciplinary approaches, transformative leadership, and practical skills development.

Mental Health

Pre-service Education in Mental, Brain and Behavioural Health: Scaling Up Implementation and Dissemination Workshop

In recent years, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been working to enhance undergraduate education for healthcare professionals, particularly doctors and nurses, in the domains of mental health, brain health, and substance use conditions. As part of the preliminary activities for the guide's release, stakeholders from around the world convened in Shanghai last March 13-14, 2024 for a strategic planning session aimed at implementation and dissemination. It is a collective aspiration to empower future generations of doctors and nurses with mental health competencies to bridge the gap in mental health provision through enhanced medical education. As a participant and presenter to these meetings, the ASMPH, represented by Dr. Angel Belle Dy, is eager to contribute to this transformative initiative and witness its profound impact on shaping the future of medical education and healthcare delivery in the Philippines and worldwide.

Mental Health

ASMPH Center for Research and Innovation hosts the Rise and Thrive program team during a three-day GEDSI Workshop

From 10-12 July 2024, the ASMPH Center for Research and Innovation (ACRI) hosted the Rise and Thrive Philippine program team during its comprehensive gender equality, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI) hybrid workshop and stakeholder consultation. Rise and Thrive: Building Resilient Communities through Inclusive Mental Health is a program of CBM Global Disability Inclusion in Fiji and the Philippines, supported by the Australian Government through Partnerships for a Healthy Region. The program aims to develop and document, by 2028, a model that results in the improved wellbeing of people with mental health conditions or psychosocial disability through improved community support, access to services, and systems that reinforce rights, equity, and inclusion.

Mental Health

Mental Health Science Academe and Research Task Force Consensus Statements and Recommendations

This infographic presents a summary of the propositions and recommendations of the Mental Health Science Academe and Research (MHSAR) Task Force to the Philippine Council for Mental Health (PCMH) in order to mainstream mental health in the educational system particularly higher educational institutions (HEIs).

Mental Health

Rise and Thrive Program Team successfully concludes preparatory project design workshop

The Rise and Thrive: Building Resilient Communities through Inclusive Mental Health program in Fiji and the Philippines is a four-year regional program supported by the Australian Government through its Partnerships for a Healthy Region (PHR) initiative. Rise and Thrive aims to develop a model that improves the well-being of people with mental health conditions or psychosocial disability through improved community support, access to services, and systems that reinforce rights, equity, and inclusion. As part of its preparatory phase, the Philippines Project Team composed of lead implementing partner ASMPH Center for Research and Innovation (ACRI), and co-implementing partner Balik Kalipay Center for Psychosocial Response, Inc. (BKC) underwent a three-day project design workshop. The workshop was facilitated by CBM Australia’s Senior Programme Coordinator Kirsten Bate with support from the Rise and Thrive Programme Team, Sucelle Deacosta, and Kyra Ballesteros. Through the workshop process, the team sought to develop the theory of change, its logical framework, and a collaborative action plan to guide the implementation of the multi-year program over the next four years in the country.

Environmental Health

ASMPH launches groundbreaking 2.5-year study with UCSF, CUNY, and RITM on the impact of extreme weather events on HIV care in the Philippines

The Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Center for Research and Innovation (ACRI), through its Environmental Health and Global Health Security Flagship Program, has partnered with the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), the City University of New York (CUNY), and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) to investigate how extreme weather events influence HIV care outcomes in the Philippines.

Environmental Health

Philippines launches National Action Plan to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance 2024-2028

The Inter-Agency Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance (ICAMR) has launched the Philippine National Action Plan (PNAP) on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) 2024-2028 during the Philippine Antimicrobial Awareness Week Summit. Developed with the technical assistance of the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Center for Research & Innovation (ACRI) and supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), and World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), this initiative is funded by the European Union.

Health Systems

iPRIME Study team pilots learning modules for primary care providers in remote rural Philippines

The iPrime project extends the impact of its research findings by piloting innovative primary care learning modules in the municipality of Bobon, Northern Samar.

Health Systems

People in Primary Care: Dr. Chy

Dr. Chy is a dedicated primary care physician in Northern Samar. This feature presents the challenges and successes of doing primary care in a rural setting in the Philippines.

Special Topics

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Hosts Inaugural Asian Functional Medicine Conference

Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines - March 22-23, 2024 - The Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health (ASMPH) successfully organized the inaugural Asian Functional Medicine Conference with the theme "Journeys to Wellbeing: Inspiring Healthful Transformation through Functional Medicine in the Asian Landscape.”   This conference was done in a hybrid format. It was able to accommodate over 1,000 participants both online and onsite at the JY Campos Hall, Bayanihan Center of The United Laboratories, Inc. (UNILAB) in Mandaluyong.