Outbreak preparedness & control

Foodborne disease

A PPHSN Technical Working Group on Foodborne Disease Surveillance (TWGFBDS) was identified during the 10th meeting of the PPHSN Coordinating Body and the Second Regional EpiNet Workshop held in June 2004. This initiative followed from the WHO/FAO/SPC Meeting on Future Action on Food Safety in the Pacific held in Seremban, Malaysia, from 28-31 May 2004.

The members are listed below:

• Dr Jan Pryor, Fiji School of Medicine

• Dr Michael O’Leary, Regional Epidemiologist, CDC/PIHOA Guam,

• Dr Narendra Singh, Communicable Disease Specialist, SPC

• Dr Seini Kupu, ADB Consultant for PPHSN at SPC

• Mrs Eden Ridep, Deputy Chief, Division of Environmental Health, Palau

• Dr Benoît Garin, FBD Specialist, New Caledonia Pasteur Institute

• Dr Jean-Francois Yvon, Biologist, Wallis and Futuna

• Mr Len Tarivonda, National Coordinator ARI/CDD, Vanuatu

• Dr Joe Koroivueta, Head, National Centre for Scientific Services for Virology and Vectorborne Diseases, Fiji Islands

• Dr Tom Chiller, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Dr Nu’ualofa Tu’uau-Potoi, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Preventive Health Services

• Mr Teodoro Magno, Environmental Engineer, WHO Office in Papua New Guinea

Membership of this technical working group is still open to Pacific health professionals who are interested and perhaps working in this or a related area.

For any further information please contact the Technical Working Group on Foodborne Disease Surveillance through SPC Public Health Surveillance and Communicable Disease Control section: phs.cdc@spc.int.