Global health

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Global health today faces a complex set of challenges, including workforce shortages, funding constraints, fragmented care systems, climate-related impacts, conflict and displacement, systemic inequities, rising non-communicable diseases, food insecurity, limited access to technology, infectious threats, and antimicrobial resistance.

At the School of Population Health, our global health team partners with policymakers, practitioners, governments, NGOs, academic institutions, civil society, and communities of practice to co-design solutions that promote equity, resilience, and improved health outcomes. We harness innovative approaches—such as digital health and artificial intelligence to strengthen health systems, expand access to safe care, and enable data-driven decision-making across diverse settings.

Through our broad network across the Asia-Pacific, sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and beyond, we foster inclusive, locally driven responses to global health challenges. Our work is grounded in understanding the interconnected social, cultural, historical, and political determinants of health, including the legacies of colonisation, economic inequality, gender dynamics, and other systems of privilege and oppression. We remain committed to building global capacity to improve health for individuals and communities worldwide.

Our projects (selected)

Our team is committed to transforming health systems and improving health outcomes through interdisciplinary research and strategic collaboration. Our work addresses the broader determinants of health—social, economic, political, and environmental factors—that profoundly shape the current state of global health. Health equity forms a core foundation of our global health projects. We are committed to advancing equity by safeguarding health-related human rights and prioritising the needs of underserved community. Through inclusive strategies and rights-based approaches, we aim to ensure that all individuals have fair and equitable access to quality healthcare.

Our work is organised around key research themes that reflect our strengths and priorities:

1. Strengthening health systems

This theme encompasses a range of projects aimed at reinforcing the core components of healthcare delivery. Our initiatives focus on developing and refining sustainable health financing, strategies to ensure sustainable and equitable funding for services, while also advancing health workforce development through capacity building, improved training, and retention support., and integration of digital health and AI-enabled solutions to improve Our work promotes better coordination and resource efficiency through health systems integration, and leverages digital health and information systems—including AI-enabled solutions such as decision support tools and multilingual triage chatbots—to enhance access, equity, and quality of care across diverse global health contexts. We also work to enhance service deleviery and governance by promoting people-centred care, accountability, and transparency within health systems. Additionally, we develop practical, cost-effective disease surveillance strategies and early warning systems to strengthen preparedness and response in low-resource settings. Collectively, these projects contribute to building resilient, skilled, and adaptable health systems that are responsive to the evolving needs of populations.

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2. Prevent and control non-communicable diseases

Our work in non-communicable diseases focuses on reducing the global burden of conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and mental health disorders through community-based and primary care-oriented approaches. We prioritise culturally tailored, locally relevant interventions that promote prevention, early detection, and effective management. By engaging communities and strengthening primary healthcare systems, we aim to improve long-term health outcomes and reduce inequities in NCD care across diverse populations.

RESist-NCD

Our Global Health team is supporting the governments in Papua New Guinea and the Philippines to implement the RESist-NCD program: building resilient and people-centred health systems for non-Communicable disease prevention and control (RESist-NCD) in Pacific and Southeast Asian countries.

RESist-NCD is a four-year program (2024–2028) designed to support governments in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Vietnam and Cambodia to develop interventions for the prevention and early treatment of diabetes and hypertension. Funded by the Australian Government through the Partnerships for a Healthy Region Initiative, RESist-NCD is implemented by a global consortium comprising The George Institute for Global Health, the Clinton Health Access Initiative, and the University of New South Wales, Sydney. The program works in close partnership with government, health services, academia, civil society, communities, and international agencies across RESist-NCD partner countries. The RESist-NCD program is addressing crucial gaps in NCD policy implementation through three integrated workstreams that take a whole systems approach: (1) Model of Care, (2) Resilient Health Systems, and (3) Environmental Enablers.

Our team, in collaboration with consortium partners, supports governments in Papua New Guinea and the Philippines to implement interventions across these workstreams. Models of Care is implemented at the service level focusing on delivering high-quality, cost-effective and equitable services for the prevention, screening, and management of diabetes and hypertension by contextualising the WHO Package of Essential Non-communicable Disease (WHO PEN) Interventions. Resilient Health Systems is a system-level initiative that strengthens primary health care by improving data collection and analysis for effective monitoring and planning, building a capable and resilient primary health care workforce, and evaluating referral networks for diabetes and hypertension from primary to secondary care. Environmental Enablers addresses upstream determinants of health, including climate change, by generating evidence to support countries in building climate-resilient and sustainable health systems. The program embeds community engagement and integrates gender equality, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI) across all activities, including the ways of working and research practices of the RESist-NCD consortium.

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In this section

3. Reduce inequities in injury prevention and trauma care globally

Our work in injury prevention and trauma care focuses on reducing global inequities in both prevention and response, particularly among First Nations Peoples and in resource-constrained settings. We aim to strengthen systems and services that address the burden of injuries—through culturally responsive, evidence-based approaches.

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4. Strengthen data systems for better health outcomes

Our work in data systems focuses on strengthening the infrastructure and processes that underpin effective health information management. We aim to improve the quality, completeness, and accessibility of health data to support evidence-based decision-making and policy development.

Data for Health Initiative

The Data for Health Initiative (D4H) aims to strengthen data systems in low- and middle-income countries. It focuses on improving civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems, enhancing bith and death registrations, ICD coding and medical certification of cause of death reporting. Our global health team contributes through research, technical support, and capacity building to ensure that health data is effectively collected, analysed, and used to inform policy and improve health outcomes. To learn more about our work in enhancing CRVS systems visit the page CRVS Systems Strengthening Unit.

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5. Prevent and control infectious disease transmission

Our research aims to reduce the spread of infectious diseases through comprehensive strategies including immunisation, investigation of zoonotic disease spill over, and strengthening infection prevention and control practices. These efforts are designed to protect communities and enhance global health security. We also examine the social and behavioural factors that influence health-related decisions and the adoption of prevention measures. By integrating these insights, we design culturally relevant interventions that protect communities, enhance global health security, and reducing disease risk across diverse communities.

Learn more about our work in this space:

Learn more | Infectious diseases and immunisation

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6. Strengthen data systems for better health outcomes

We design, implement, and evaluate AI-enabled solutions that enhance access, equity, and quality of care in diverse global health contexts. Our work includes developing decision support systems, multilingual triage chatbots, and other digital innovations to strengthen health systems and improve patient outcomes. These initiatives are grounded in ethical, inclusive design and co-desige with partners to ensure relevance and sustainability.

Learn more about our work in this space:

Learn more | Digital health & AI

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Contribution towards SDGs

The global health projects at the School of Population Health contribute meaningfully to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Through interdisciplinary research, capacity building, and inclusive partnerships, our work supports improved health and well-being, gender equity, reduced inequalities, climate resilience, and stronger health systems and governance. These contributions reflect our commitment to creating sustainable, equitable solutions that address the broader determinants of health across diverse global contexts