Dr Thu-Anh Nguyen (second from left) and Professor Guy Marks (second from right) at the awards ceremony.

One of two 2022 Ho Chi Minh Scientific Prizes in health care has been presented to a team of 23 respiratory researchers that includes three researchers from the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research Vietnam.

The Woolcock researchers – Professor Guy Marks AM, Professor Greg Fox, and Dr Thu-Anh Nguyen – are part of a group of infectious disease experts combating the spread of tuberculosis (TB) in Vietnam. Their award recognises their tireless research and advocacy on TB, which has spanned more than a decade.

Since 2009, the Australian researchers have collaborated with the National Tuberculosis Program to work closely with Vietnamese researchers across 135 clinics throughout Vietnam to find effective ways to tackle the challenge of eradicating TB.

Their work and discoveries include: developing a ground-breaking program to end TB through community-wide testing for, and treatment of, TB; finding new effective and shorter treatment regimens for latent TB infection and active TB disease; and improving treatment adherence and better management of side effects through digital health and social psychological support for TB patients.

Professor Greg Fox (centre right) looking at an x-ray in Vietnam with collaborator Professor Dick Menzies, McGill University.

In accepting the award, Professor Greg Fox said it was an immense honour to receive the award from the Government of Vietnam, and especially meaningful to gain recognition for this work advocating for greater access and equity for TB diagnosis and treatment in the country.

“It is an incredible honour to receive this prestigious award, as a part of an outstanding team of Vietnamese and international collaborators” he said. “It is my belief for any infectious disease to be brought under control requires long-term commitment and collaboration of countless researchers and clinicians working in the field, in the community and the lab. It is a privilege to be part of that in the Vietnam National Tuberculosis Program, and to continue to dedicate my research to eradicating tuberculosis.”

“This research is testament to what can be achieved when researchers are united in a common goal in the name of public health.” Professor Fox said.

Dr Thu-Anh Nguyen, Country Director of the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research Vietnam, said: “The findings of our studies have contributed to policy changes not only in Vietnam, but also many other high burden countries in the world, saving thousands of lives. However, we need to work harder to help the next generation to be free of this preventable infectious disease.”

Australia’s Ambassador to Vietnam, HE Andrew Goledzinowski, remarked: “This is a significant occasion, as it marks the first time that the Ho Chi Minh prize has been awarded to a research team that includes international researchers, in this case three remarkable recipients from Australia’s Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales in Sydney. I’m so pleased to see quality research being recognised in this way, especially when it also demonstrates the strong partnership in science between Vietnamese and Australian researchers – and in the lead-up to our celebration of 50 years of diplomatic relations. The team makes us very proud indeed.”

Professor Carol Armour AM, Executive Director of the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, said: "Our researchers have received this award for their long-term commitment to making health better for the people of Vietnam and the region. Their collaboration across institutions and countries is an example to us all of what can be achieved in research and translation."

TB is an infectious disease that affects more than 10 million people each year. Vietnam is one of the countries with the highest burdens of TB in the world. Each year, over 100,000 people are found to have TB in Vietnam. However, at least another 50,000 people remain undiagnosed and often continue spreading the infection to others.

The Woolcock Institute of Medical Research and the University of Sydney have been undertaking significant research on TB in Vietnam for more than 10 years. Research outcomes have been published in prestigious international scientific journals and have been translated into global or national policies. Today, as a result of this work, active case finding to detect TB is implemented widely throughout Vietnam and in many other high burden countries in the world, saving thousands of lives.

On November 2, 2022, in Hanoi, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research Vietnam held a workshop to summarise the VCAPS study "An integrated health-sector strategy to combat COPD and asthma in Vietnam" with the participation of the Professor Robyn Ward (Executive Dean and Pro Vice-Chancellor Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney), Professors Helen Reddel and Guy Marks from the Woolcock, together with representatives of the Department of Medical Service Administration and the Tobacco Control Fund from the Ministry of Health, representatives of central hospitals, and local partners who participated in the study. The study was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is predicted to become the third leading cause of death in the world by 2030. Vietnam is a country with a high COPD burden due to high rates of smoking. High smoking rates, coupled with air pollution, also contributes to Vietnam’s high rates of asthma – a respiratory illness that is among the major causes of disability worldwide.

The main objective of the VCAPS program was to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to enhance the management of chronic lung disease and smoking cessation at the primary health care level. According to Dr Nguyen Trong Khoa, Vice Director of the Department of Medical Service Administration, Ministry of Health, “This is a very meaningful project because it focuses on supporting the grassroots health level – at district hospitals and medical centres where there are many difficulties in addressing this disease”.

Research studies have pointed out that there are gaps in Vietnam’s health system when diagnosing and treating patients with respiratory symptoms. Smoking cessation services are still very limited in Vietnam’s health system.

The VCAPS program has helped health facilities integrate COPD/asthma treatment program into their services. The initial results, according to the assessment of patients and medical staff, have shown our approach to be feasible and well supported by local doctors.

At the November workshop, experts from the UNION, GINA, WHO and Bach Mai Hospital also discussed how to maintain and scale up this program’s model.

Dr Nguyen Thu Anh, Country Director of Woolcock Vietnam, said “The Woolcock will strive to support the scale-up of treatments for chronic lung disease within the community. Not only will this research improve the health of people in Vietnam, but results will also contribute to new approaches to control chronic lung disease in many other countries”.

Find out more about V-CAPS

On November 1, 2022 in Hanoi, the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research Vietnam organised the close-out workshop for V-RESIST "Combating the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistant infectious diseases in Vietnam".

The workshop was attended by the Deputy Ambassador of Australia to Vietnam, Mr Mark Tattersall, Dr Angela Pratt (Chief Representative of WHO in Vietnam), Professor Robyn Ward (Executive Dean and Pro Vice-Chancellor Medicine and Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney), Dr Cao Hung Thai (Vice Director of the Department of Medical Service Administration), along with representatives of the Vietnam Ministry of Health, the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, experts of Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi University of Pharmacy, Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cho Ray Hospital, National Children's Hospital, researchers from the University of Sydney in Australia, donors, representatives of district-level hospitals, and V-RESIST project members.

From 2019 to 2022, the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research has collaborated with partners to investigate the challenges of antimicrobial resistance. In collaboration with the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, the V-RESIST project was implemented to build intervention models to change the behaviour of the community, private pharmacies and district hospitals for the purpose of reducing antibiotic resistance in Vietnam. The research results have been published in journals including the Lancet Regional Health Western Pacific, and BMJ Global Health. More publications are listed here.

Since the start of the project, 154 training programs have been held, and seminars have attracted 1,340 doctors and pharmacists to share expertise and experience at district health facilities. The V-RESIST study has helped set up antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) Committees and AMS teams with their detailed strategies and plans following Decision 563 of the Ministry of Health. The project also provided clinical experts to deliver training and detailed audit-feedback for healthcare workers at district health facilities to increase the effectiveness of treatment of infectious diseases and reduce overall antibiotic resistance at these hospitals.

In the community, nearly 100 drugstores and pharmacies at the district level in Ca Mau province received training programs on how to distinguish between viral and bacterial diseases. This enables them to sell appropriate medicines for clients, while reducing selling antibiotics if not needed. In addition, communication materials for patients on antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance were distributed to people in community pharmacies to increase awareness and reduce the use of over-the-counter antibiotics.

Speaking at the Conference, Professor Greg Fox, Research Leader at the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, said “Antimicrobial resistance is a major priority for Vietnam. The initial successes of V-RESIST demonstrate the potential expansion of these interventions in Vietnam. We look forward to working with the Ministry of Health and other Vietnamese partners to strengthen and expand these programs. They have enormous potential to reduce antibiotic resistance in Vietnam, contributing to enhancing health security for Vietnam and beyond.”

This project is funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The final results of the V-RESIST program of research will be available in 2023.

Find out more about V-RESIST

On April 26, 2022, the ACT5 Study was formally launched in Ca Mau province with the participation of Professor Guy Marks (President of the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease), leaders of the National TB Program, representatives of National Lung Hospital, Ca Mau Department of Health, Ca Mau Lung Hospital, and Can Tho Lung Hospital departments.

Following the success of the ACT3 study carried out in 2013 - 2018, the ACT5 study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a new strategy to end TB in Vietnam.

The ACT 5 Study is developing evidence that will underpin a transformation in the global approach to TB elimination in low and middle-income countries with a high burden of TB. Our hypothesis is that universal testing and treatment for latent TB infection, added to active case finding for TB disease, will reduce the prevalence of TB among adults in the general community.

This is a cooperation program between the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research and the National TB Program, implemented by Ca Mau Lung Hospital and participated by Can Tho Lung Hospital in the period of 2019-2024. It is expected that there will be about 165,000 beneficiaries who are people aged 5 years or older, living in 208 hamlets (equivalent to about 78,000 people) in Ca Mau province and randomly selected to join the program.

Find out more about our TB research

The study “An integrated public health strategy to combat COPD, asthma and smoking in Vietnam”, known as VCAPS4, finished the participant recruitment in January 2022 in 4 provinces, including Ha Noi, Thanh Hoa, An Giang and Ca Mau.

The total number of participants recruited to the chronic respiratory disease program was 3,096 patients, including 663 patients in Ha Noi, 741 patients in Thanh Hoa, 803 patients in An Giang, and 889 patients in Ca Mau who agreed to participate in the CRD program.

2,223 smokers were recruited to a smoking cessation program. The patients are being followed up within 1 year by our hotline agents who are experienced in smoking counselling.

The VCAPS study will continue to complete following up patients to early 2023. Initial findings will be presented to key stakeholders at the end of 2022 in our close-out workshop in Hanoi. At this event, we will discuss next steps to scale up and sustain the programme.

Find out more about VCAPS

The 2R2 Study is a Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the completion of treatment and safety of short-course (2-months) high-dose rifampicin regimen compared with standard 4-month treatment with rifampicin to treat TB infection.

This study is underway in Vietnam, Indonesia and Canada. In Vietnam, 460 people have been enrolled. These were contacts of active tuberculosis patients, HIV-infected people, diabetics and medical staff. Participating sites include Hanoi Lung Hospital, Hai Ba Trung District Medical Center, The Medical Center of Nam Tu Liem District (Hanoi), and Phoi Viet: Center of Respiratory Diseases Treatment (HCMC).

Despite facing many difficulties in the start-up phase, including being interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam was the first country to complete its recruitment target of sample in July 2022. These 460 participants will continue to be followed for 26 months.

Find out more about the 2R2 Study

Woolcock Vietnam is working on a number of projects to help understand and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam.

In our February 2021 report, you can read updates from four of our projects. Download the full report in English or Vietnamese:

• COVID- 19 research updates, February 2021

• Cập nhật kết quả nghiên cứu về COVID- 19, Tháng 2 Năm 2021

In August 2022, our team completed the report COVID-19 coverage, behavioural and social drivers, communication activities in Vietnam: A narrative review.

Below you will find a summary of each project, and links to infographics that summarise our findings.

Measuring the prevalence of COVID-19

After taking blood samples from communities across Vietnam, our team found the incidence of COVID-19 was very low: positive SARS-CoV-2 serology varied between 0 and 1.1 percent of the population in sampled communities.

The results indicate that Vietnam's response has been effective in limiting the spread of COVID-19.

This project is providing reliable, detailed evidence to support the Vietnamese government's public health intervention strategy.

View an infographic on the results of the research:

• In English: COVID-19 sero-prevalence survey

• In Vietnamese: Khảo sát huyết thanh học COVID-19

Using X-rays to understand the health impacts of COVID-19

Pulmonary disease is a major manifestation of COVID-19 and an important cause of serious illness and death.

Our researchers used chest X-rays to investigate pulmonary abnormalities in COVID-19 patients.

They found that patients had a high incidence of chest X-ray abnormalities, despite most having only mild cases of COVID-19.

The researchers conclude that we urgently need better ways to identify patients at increased risk of pulmonary complications from COVID-19.

• Infographic in English: Radiological and clinical characteristics of patients hospitalised with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in Vietnam: a descriptive study

• Infographic in Vietnamese: Đặc điểm lâm sàng và X-quang phổi của bệnh nhân COVID-19 được điều trị nội trú tại Việt Nam: Nghiên cứu mô tả

Understanding people's experience of COVID-19 in Vietnam

In this study, researchers interviewed people infected with COVID-19 and their contacts to better understand their experiences of COVID-19.

The interviews uncovered a social stigma associated with COVID-19.

The researchers found that stigmatisation had caused some people to avoid reporting their symptoms, tracking their social interactions, or getting tested. This has made disease management more difficult.

The researchers call for better education and improved policies to avoid the detrimental effects of stigmatisation.

Watch a video on the key findings:

Implementing a large scale vaccine program in Vietnam

Our researchers undertook a review to help the Government prepare for a large-scale COVID-19 vaccination program.

The researchers find that Vietnam is generally well-prepared to produce and deliver COVID-19 vaccines. However, they also identify key challenges that need addressing to ensure a fair, safe and efficient vaccine roll out.

The researchers have produced an infographic on their findings

• In English: Opportunities and challenges for the health system in implementation of a large scale COVID-19 vaccine program in Vietnam

• In Vietnamese: Thuận lợi và thách thức đối với hệ thống y tế trong việc triển khai tiêm chủng vắc xin covid-19 quy mô lớn tại Việt Nam

Find out more

• See all our COVID-19 research projects in Vietnam

• Read more about our work in Vietnam

The V-SMART study, co-funded by NAFOSTED and Australian NHMRC is a study on health and technology. The study harnesses new mobile health technologies (a “Bac Sy Minh” smartphone application) to strengthen the management of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Vietnam. The study was successfully launched in seven cities and in the provinces of Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, An Giang and Tien Giang via two centralised workshops held 16-17 July and 21-22 July.

The workshops actively engaged the leaders, doctors and nurses from seven Provincial Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Hospitals. Participants were introduced to the study design, learnt how to use the application, and practised enrolling patients with data collection procedures. Activation of the sites will commence in August 2020 by the National Lung Hospital and the Woolcock team and technical support will be provided to healthcare workers to ensure that eligible study participants are recruited and baseline data collected.

Researchers in Ca Mau (a southern province of Vietnam) have completed the pilot phase of the ACT5 study “Test and Treat to End TB”, an NHMRC project grant. The goal of this study is to end tuberculosis. The pilot phase has two components:

1: Test

The ‘test’ component involved community-wide screening of all community members for latent tuberculosis (LTBI). A tuberculin skin test was done, followed by more screening if required. The follow-up screening included a sputum by Xpert, chest x-ray and blood tests. Field staff made the process as convenient as possible for participants by performing tests in the participants’ home and set up local pop-up testing centres.

2: Treatment

The ‘treat’ component involved commencing participants on treatment who have screened positive for LTBI. A newer treatment was used which was a single dose, once a week treatment regimen for 12 weeks. However, in the interim whilst the necessary approvals were being sought, a well-established treatment for LTBI was administered which was a daily dose dispensed for 18 weeks.

The pilot study has progressed well and results from the study will be used to refine training, procedures, methods and materials before embarking on the larger study. Over 100,000 members of the community will be tested in Ca Mau and it is estimated that 30,000 participants will be treated with LTBI treatment.

In four years’ time, the effectiveness will be measured by comparing the prevalence of tuberculosis in those communities which received the intervention with those communities who did not receive the intervention. 

The research team in Ca Mau is being led by Khanh Luu Boi with close supervision by Woolcock Vietnam’s Country Director, Dr Thu Anh Nguyen.

The team at Woolcock Vietnam co-organized a community event to celebrate the launch of the VRESIST community study in Thach That district, Hanoi. The launch was part of the World Antibiotic Awareness Week on 23rd November 2019.

The event was hosted by the local District People’s Committee, aiming at increasing the awareness of the appropriate use of antibiotics. The audience included around 300 local mothers, elderly, parents, and teachers with an interest in the health of their families and communities.

The AMRE seminar held on 18th November 2019 was led by CRE REDUCE, the Woolcock Vietnam, WHO, the University of Sydney and the University of Queensland, in partnership with collaborators from Ton Duc Thang University. The seminar brought together Asia-Pacific leaders in antimicrobial resistance research in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

The seminar was relevant to clinicians, researchers and policy makers concerned with the spread and emergence of AMR and its potential to negatively affect the aspirations of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Associate Professor Greg Fox from the Woolcock Institute talked about the challenges of drug-resistant tuberculosis in Vietnam and presented initial findings from V-RESIST study.

The Woolcock Vietnam and VCAPS team participated in the 24th Congress of the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR 2019) in Hanoi, Vietnam from 14th – 17th November 2019.

Professor Guy Marks and Associate Professor Greg Fox chaired different sessions on tuberculosis and asthma. The Woolcock team also presented on COPD/asthma and smoking cessation. Additionally, eight scholarships have been granted by VCAPS to local researchers and practitioners. Read more

From 30 October to 2 November 2019, Woolcock Vietnam was proud to participate to the World Lung Conference 2019, along with our leader and also the President of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Professor Guy Marks.

The conference theme of this year, 'Ending the Emergency: Science, Leadership, Action', focused on what is needed to ensure that our commitments become actions and the lifesaving targets are met.

The effectiveness of an Antimicrobial Stewardship intervention in the Vietnamese health system: a randomised controlled trial

The V-RESIST Trial is a three year randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of an antibiotic stewardship intervention in 40 clinics in Vietnam. This is an opportunity for a highly motivated PhD student with an interest in antimicrobial stewardship and/or health system research to participate in this NHMRC-funded project.

Synopsis: Vietnam is a hotspot for the emergence of drug resistant infectious disease, epitomising the regional challenges facing health systems in combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Deregulation of the pharmaceutical industry following the country’s “ÐôÒi Mõìi” economic reforms in the 1980s has contributed to widespread over-use of antibiotics in the public and private sector. Over one third of antibiotics are thought to be taken inappropriately – particularly within the lower levels of the health system.

The overall aim of this project is to develop, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of an Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) intervention to reduce the inappropriate use of antibiotics within the district level of the Vietnamese health system.

The V-RESIST study is a three year NHMRC/DFAT-funded trial that is being implemented in 4 Provinces of Vietnam. It is a partnership between academics at the University of Sydney and Vietnamese partners.

This project will involve working in the design and implementation of the Antimicrobial Stewardship intervention that is locally adapted to the Vietnamese health care system. The student will have the opportunity to spend considerable time in Vietnam over the three years of the project, working with local staff and taking a significant role in the trial. The successful candidate will be well-supported, and will have many opportunities to develop research networks with leading researchers from prominent Australian and Vietnamese institutions. This multi-disciplinary project lends itself to a broad based research degree, with plenty of opportunities to develop the skills required of an independent researcher.

The precise activities will depend upon the student’s background and skills. The project will provide opportunities to develop skills in process evaluation, clinical trials methodology, clinical guideline development, qualitative research, health economic analysis and/or pharmacy capacity building.

Suitable candidates will have:

• a strong background in medicine (e.g. infectious diseases or respiratory medicine), pharmacy, public health or nursing.

• A demonstrated interest in health in low and middle-income countries

• An ability to work as a part of a team

• Skills in statistics, epidemiology or data analysis

Students with limited research background may be initially enrolled in an MPhil, before transitioning to a PhD based upon satisfactory completion of their initial research.

Research Location: Vietnam and Australia

Primary Supervisor: A/Prof Greg Fox

Additional Supervisor: Conjoint Senior Lecturer Dr Nguyen Thu Anh

Interested students should contact A/Prof Greg Fox (greg.fox@sydney.edu.au) or Ms Wafaa Ezz (wafaa.ezz@sydney.edu.au)

Annual community-wide screening for tuberculosis almost halves the number of cases of the deadly disease, a four-year study by Australian and Vietnamese researchers has found.

Globally significant findings from the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, published today in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine, show a pathway towards the eventual elimination of this global scourge.

The study, involving 100,000 people in Vietnam, found community-wide active case finding was 44 per cent more effective than standard passive case detection alone in reducing the prevalence of tuberculosis in the general population. Importantly, the active case finding intervention halved rates of TB infection among school-aged children.

“Our findings show that, with existing tests and treatments used in innovative ways, we can achieve the sort of impact on TB that makes it possible to consider the elimination of this dreadful disease,” says study leader, Woolcock epidemiologist and respiratory physician Professor Guy Marks. “Community-wide screening can interrupt the cycle of active disease and infection that perpetuates the deadly tuberculosis epidemic.“

TB is a lung infection that is curable with medication but many people are not diagnosed and treated in time to prevent spread to others. As a result, TB rates in many low and middle income nations are at epidemic proportions. Every year more than 10 million people fall ill with the condition and 1.8 million people die from it. Rates are highest in India followed by Indonesia, China, Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, and South Africa. Vietnam is also in the top 20 countries. The World Health Organization’s goal to eliminate the disease by 2030 looks increasingly unlikely.

The current main approaches to TB control are passive case detection, which relies on people with symptoms of TB seeking and finding effective TB care, and targeted active case finding, in which certain high risk groups are screened for TB disease. But these two approaches are not adequate because many people who have infectious forms of TB have few, if any, symptoms. “Those who do have symptoms often find it difficult to find their way through the health system to get effective care,” says Professor Marks. “Furthermore, in countries with a high burden of TB, most people with TB are not in ‘high risk’ groups – everyone is at risk of TB. As a result, the current global strategies for TB control are making little progress.”

The researcher explains the rationale for screening whole communities for the disease. “We reasoned that, if there are few or no people with untreated TB disease to infect others, there will be few or no new infections and, ultimately, no new cases,” Professor Marks says. “The important feature of this approach is that it’s not limited to those who seek care for symptoms or to the minority of cases who are in ‘high risk’ groups, and it bypasses health system weaknesses.”

The study shows that screening for TB among all adult residents of a community, annually for three years, results in a nearly 50 per cent reduction in people with the disease. Additionally, there was a 50 per cent lower prevalence of TB infection in children aged 6 to 14 years.

Further research is needed in different settings before the approach can be rolled out nationally in countries with high TB burden, the expert says. Also, more work is needed to optimise the tools and methods of implementing the screening intervention.

The trial, the first ever using this intervention, was conducted in a Mekong delta province in Vietnam with a high burden of TB. Half of the communities were screened and the other half were not. Screening involved collecting sputum from people in their homes and testing the specimen using a molecular test for TB.

The study, funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, was a close collaboration with Centenary Institute in Sydney and National Lung Hospital in Vietnam. The paper, ‘Community-wide Screening for Tuberculosis in a High-Prevalence Setting’, can be viewed here.

TB: The Facts[1]

• Tuberculosis is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide

• In 2016, 10.4 million people fell ill with TB, and 1.8 million died from the disease

• Over 95 per cent of TB deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries

• Seven countries account for 64 per cent of the total: India followed by Indonesia, China, Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, and South Africa

• Each year an estimated 1 million children became ill with TB and 250,000 children died of TB

• About 53 million lives were saved through TB diagnosis and treatment between 2000 and 2016

• Globally, TB incidence is falling at about two per cent per year. However, WHO says both the incidence and the death toll from the disease are still unacceptably high and efforts to combat it must be accelerated

[1]From the World Health Organisation website: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs104/en/

Professor Guy B Marks is President-Elect of The Union which means he will take over from the current President at this year’s Union World Conference in Hyderabad. He is also Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IJTLD). Having been involved with The Union for 30 years, Prof Marks is animated about the future of the organisation and the opportunities afforded by his forthcoming presidency:

“I am excited about the prospect of making an important impact on the burden of tuberculosis (TB) and lung disease. I believe we are on the cusp of major breakthroughs – I look forward to The Union making a key contribution.”

Prof Marks first became involved with The Union at a Union World Conference in the early nineties. One of his major contributions to the organisation has been in his role as Editor in Chief (Lung Diseases) of the IJTLD since 2012. He is also a former Chair of the Lung Health Scientific Section. “The strength of The Union is its diversity; a multifaceted organisation that is a challenge to understand. This makes it both exciting and thought-provoking.

Our Air Pollution Research team has just been awarded a seed grant to conduct a health impact assessment for air pollution in large urban areas in Vietnam.

Researchers from the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, the University of Sydney, Hanoi University of Public Health, University of Engineering and Technology, and the Bach Mai Hospital will work together to:
- Develop models to estimate the spatial distribution of air pollutant concentrations,
- Estimate premature mortality due to current ambient air pollutant exposure, and
- Quantify the potential health benefits due to policy relevant air pollution emissions control scenarios.

This seed grant is funded by the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre (SSEAC) at the University of Sydney.

The University of Sydney and its affiliates, including the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research and the Westmead Institute for Medical Research, held the V-RESIST Symposium in Sydney, Australia during 22-24 May 2019.

Policy makers, health staff and researchers working on antimicrobial resistance joined the discussion to exchange approaches to antimicrobial stewardship in healthcare and community settings in Australia and Vietnam and developed intervention strategies to the cluster randomised controlled trial V-RESIST.

From 9-11th May 2019, Lisa Redwood, our PhD student and Ian Hodgson trained a group of NGO’s in Hanoi on how to facilitate 'Inside Out: Dealing with self-stigma and shame for people with tuberculosis (TB)'. This toolkit was developed last year by KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation and The Work for Change.

During the training course, our researchers and colleagues at KNCV, SCDI and Hai Dang group discussed the toolkit and learned how to apply it into their daily work.

This workshop will be rolled out as a randomised controlled trial to patients with tuberculosis and MDR-TB to evaluate its effect on self-stigma, wellbeing and treatment success.

On 9 May 2019, researchers from Woolcock Vietnam National TB Program gathered in the Vietnam National Lung Hospital to prepare an implementation plan for the new community-based parallel group randomised controlled trial - VSMART.

The study, funded by NAFOSTED and NHMRC, aims to evaluate effectiveness of an innovative mHealth adverse event application on treatment success among multi drug resistant TB patients.