Why study Global Health? Lessons from the COVID19 pandemic

While the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be felt across the globe, it's important we  learn from this pandemic and start planning for future threats of this nature.

COVID-19 has made us even more aware of the skills that we need as a society to respond effectively to public health crises. The pandemic has demonstrated the need for highly efficient health information systems for the management of testing, tracing and vaccination. The need for the rapid generation of data for decision making has been highlighted, including scientific data on infectious diseases, epidemiological data on how viruses spread and can be contained,  and has spurred the development of new methods such as the testing of wastewater.

We have learned that effective pandemic communications are essential for the management of public risk perception and the uptake of protective behaviours. In the same vein, effective community engagement has emerged as fundamental to inclusive and equitable pandemic responses.

We now also understand the importance of boosting the surge capacity of health systems to respond to crises and the vast planning this involves. To understand the full impact of pandemics on society, and the cost to health systems, we have needed highly skilled health economists. Finally, we must not forget the huge investments that need to be made in training and supporting the health work force and other frontline workers at the cold front of pandemic response.

These complex challenges require a diverse highly skilled global and public workforce, and represents a wide range of career trajectories that will have a positive impact on societies’ ability to remain resilient to the current and future pandemics.

Nossal has developed a two-week intensive subject   designed to  develop skills and build capacity. Pandemic Preparedness and Response is offered in dual delivery format.  The subject is offered as a Master of Public Health Subject under the Global Health stream and is also available to professionals working in health via our Community Access Program

A multidisciplinary team of experts from Australia and around the world will be sharing their knowledge. Don't miss the opportunity to upskill, enrol now!

For further course enquiries please contact Campbell McKay or Linda Bennett from the Nossal Institute’s Education and Learning Team.

More Information

Associate Professor Linda Bennett

lbennett@unimelb.edu.au