New Health Programme for South and south-east Asia and the Pacific

27 May 2002

A major new programme focusing on the health problems of developing countries in South and South-east Asia and the Pacific is being launched by the Wellcome Trust in partnership with the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC); the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology; and the Health Research Council of New Zealand.

The £12 million scheme will concentrate on major health issues of various countries including, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, the Pacific Islands and Indian sub-continent, and will promote collaborative research and training in these regions with Australia and New Zealand.

The Wellcome Trust will contribute £6m, which will be matched by the governments of Australia and New Zealand. The scheme will fund major five-year programmes which will be judged on their scientific excellence, significance to relevant health problems, high-level training and complementarity of research groups.

The Trust has extensive experience of working with Australia and New Zealand, having invested more than £30m in these countries since 1984.

To encourage new and innovative collaborations the scheme will have a wide remit to include infectious and non-infectious diseases as well as health service research. Two-way training will also be encouraged.

Administrative arrangements will be coordinated by the Wellcome Trust, National Health and Medical Research Council in Australia and the Health Research Council in New Zealand. Award decisions will be made in May 2003.

There is a firm commitment between the parties to this partnership. The details of the Memoranda of Understanding and policy, to bring the partnership to effect, are being finalised.

This new initiative will be formally launched at a reception being held at the Wellcome Trust today (27 May).

Dr Mary Phillips, head of the Wellcome Trust's International Biomedical Programme, said: "This new scheme will help us maintain our much valued collaboration with Australia and New Zealand while also bringing health benefits to nearby countries.

"This is an exciting venture, which provides an excellent opportunity to broaden the research base in this part of the world which has already shown it has its share of talented scientists."

Pete Hodgson, New Zealand's Minister of Research, Science and Technology said: "This is a very significant project that will bring the best biomedical research expertise in our country to bear on serious health issues affecting Pacific peoples. The government is delighted that the Wellcome Trust is providing such a generous contribution.

"The new fund will focus on improving Pacific people's health through research and building biomedical research capacity and capability in the Pacific community."

Professor Alan Pettigrew, Chief Executive Officer of the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, said: "The NHMRC is strongly committed to an on-going partnership with the Wellcome Trust.

"This new arrangement is an important component of the NHMRC's responsibility to support research that benefits health in Australia and in countries of the region.

"We particularly look forward to a close working relationship between the Wellcome Trust, the NHMRC and the HRC of New Zealand."

For further details please contact:

Barry Gardner
Wellcome Trust Press Office
T +44 (0)207 611 7329
E b.gardner@wellcome.ac.uk