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Research to fight antimicrobial resistance and TB in the Pacific

2 July 2020

Drug resistant tuberculosis and antimicrobial resistance are major emerging health threats to Pacific Island countries

This research will be led by MBI's Co-Director, Professor Ben Marais, and will include trialling bold new strategies to reduce and eventually eliminate DR-TB in the Pacific.

Professor Maraisʼ research will focus on the DR-TB hotspot of Kiribati.

Every person aged 3 or older with TB disease or infection in the capital Tarawa will be treated to prevent the emergence and spread of DR-TB. Patients will be identified by tuberculin skin testing, chest X-ray and/or sputum testing.

The project team will also provide training and mentoring in 6 Pacific Island countries, to improve DR-TB care and prevention, and model the cost-effectiveness of different elimination strategies. The project will start in June 2020 and is funded for 4 years.

The research is being funded under the Medical Research Future Fundʼs Global Health Initiative, which focuses on AMR and DR-TB as threats to global and national health security.