Health professionals from around the world are gathered at the Menzies Research Institute in Hobart this week to learn new methods and strategies for understanding the scope of the various health problems of their countries.

Health professionals from around the world are gathered at the Menzies Research Institute in Hobart this week to learn new methods and strategies for understanding the scope of the various health problems of their countries.

Seven participants have come from Malaysia, Brunei, Iran, Mongolia and the Philippines, under the auspices of the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Fellowships Programme, to receive training in surveillance for risk factors for non-communicable diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.

Associate Professor Leigh Blizzard says that the Menzies Research Institute has for many years assisted developing countries in building and strengthening their health surveillance capabilities as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Non-communicable Diseases.

"Menzies has collaborated with the WHO since 1990 when it took responsibility for assisting countries in the Western Pacific region to plan and implement programs for the prevention and control of chronic disease," Associate Professor Blizzard said.

In this role Menzies conducts research on the prevention and management of NCDs in the Western Pacific Region, collaborates in the development of databases concerning lifestyle and related NCD risk factors, trains health workers in programs to combat NCDs and supports the regional network through use of its resources.

"Our experience in this area means that we are in an excellent position to assist other developing countries to strengthen their capacity to respond to emerging chronic disease problems such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

"While they are here, the WHO Fellows will participate in a two to four week training course on a method of disease risk factor surveillance, developed by the WHO in collaboration with Menzies, known as STEPS.

"Menzies has conducted STEPS training workshops in many countries of the Western Pacific region and STEPS surveys have now been completed in more than 15 countries," he said.

The WHO Fellows have been joined by three collaborators from Vietnam, where Menzies is currently responsible for assisting with the development of a national surveillance system for these diseases, under a $US2 million grant funded by United States philanthropic organisation the Atlantic Philanthropies.

Associate Professor Blizzard will be travelling to Brunei in September this year to assist the country to develop a national system of surveillance using STEPS surveys.

The WHO is a specialised agency of the United Nations. The aim of the WHO Fellowships Programme is to assist governments in the strengthening of health services; to provide opportunities for training and study not available in the Fellows' own country; and promote the international exchange of scientific knowledge and techniques relating to health.

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