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Introduction

Registrations closing on 23 August

See the Registration tab for more details.

Education grant applications have now closed.

This Conference and Workshop provide fantastic opportunities to share research and experience to contribute to better understanding of vaccine-preventable disease control and immunisation delivery services in New Zealand. We will welcome local and international presenters, including Keynote speaker, Kathryn Edwards, a Professor of Paediatrics specialising in paediatric infectious disease and vaccination in pregnancy at the Vanderbilt University in Nashville, USA.

2019 Immunisation Awards

For the first time, this year we are requesting nominations for Immunisation Awards, to acknowledge the service and achievement of those working so hard to reduce the burden of vaccine-preventable diseases in New Zealand. See the 'Immunisation Awards' tab for more information.

GSK Breakfast session

Saturday 7 September, 7:15 am to 8:30 am, Owen G Glenn Building level 1.

All Conference delegates are warmly invited to attend this free session, provided by our Major Conference Partner, GSK. Enjoy a complimentary breakfast whilst catching up on the latest information regarding meningococcal disease in New Zealand.

Spaces are limited, please click here to register.

The Latest on Meningococcal Disease in NZ: Epidemiology and Prevention

The past few years New Zealand has seen an increase in meningococcal cases and experienced a number of serious outbreaks. Join Dr Sharon Wong as she provides the most up-to-date information on meningococcal disease and the vaccines available to help protect against this disease.

Dr Sharon Wong

Sharon is a paediatrician at Waitemata District Health Board and a clinical senior lecturer at The University of Auckland, Department of Paediatrics: Child and Youth Health. Sharon has an interest in infectious diseases and vaccines, and the health and wellbeing of Asian children and young people. She has been involved in research in these areas, completed a PhD and was involved with the New Zealand serogroup B meningococcal vaccine initiative which led to the national immunisation programme in 2004. Other areas of interest include clinical education and paediatric training.

Programme outline

Here's the latest draft programme for this year's Workshop and Conference – this is a DRAFT, so expect changes to speakers and topics. (Click the image to open the full draft programme.)

Updated 01/08/2019

Speakers

Kathryn Edwards

Professor of Paediatrics

Kathryn Edwards MD is a paediatric infectious disease specialist at the Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine based in Nashville, USA. She holds the Sarah H. Sell and Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair in Pediatrics as Professor of Pediatrics. Dr Edwards served as the Director of Vanderbilt Vaccine Research Programme and has been a member of the National Advisory Allergy and Infectious Diseases Council. Her research specialties include vaccine development and maternal vaccination for a range of infectious diseases, such as meningococcal disease, pertussis, pneumococcal disease, rotavirus and influenza. As a keynote speaker, Dr Edwards will discuss vaccines against respiratory diseases in children and encouraging the uptake of vaccines in pregnancy.

Julie Leask

Professor

Julie Leask is a behavioural scientist and professor in the Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sydney. She has qualifications in nursing and midwifery, a Master of Public Health and PhD from the University of Sydney. Her research focuses vaccination uptake, programs and policy, and health communication. She is a visiting professorial fellow at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance. She sits on the Immunization and Vaccines related Implementation Research advisory committee of the World Health Organization and was founding co-chair of Australia’s Collaboration on Social Science in Immunisation (COSSI). In 2015 Julie won the NSW Public Health Association of NSW Public Health Impact Award and the Sax Institute Research Action Award. 

Helen Saunders

General Practitioner

Helen Saunders has worked in General Practice for 29 years, the last 13 years at the Refugee Health Screening Service, part of Auckland Regional Public Health Service. She is part of a team that undertakes health screening on all newly arrived former refugees and start primary vaccinations for those without records and catch-up vaccinations on those with records (usually only children). Vaccination is readily accepted by these new arrivals as most have seen the reality of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. 

Adrienne (Ady) Priday

Community midwife and clinical educator

Ady has been a midwife since 1995. Her midwifery clinics are co-located at GP practices in Otara and Mangere providing continuity of care for 23 years and still has a small caseload today. She is a strong advocate of inter-collegial primary health care for high deprivation communities. Prior to becoming a midwife, she was a nursing tutor and has worked as a public health and practice nurse in South and central Auckland. Ady is driven by her interest in health promotion along the childbirth journey, concerns about disparities in the health services for poorer communities. She sees her midwifery roles as a route to making positive changes for women marginalised by poverty. She is currently co-chair for the NZ College of Midwives, Auckland; holds a governance role for the Prepare/RSV clinical trial (vaccinating pregnant women for the possible prevention of infantile bronchiolitis); teaches midwifery part-time at AUT.

Emma Best

Senior Lecturer and Paediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist

Emma Best is a Paediatric Infectious Diseases specialist at Starship Children’s Health and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Auckland. Her research interests include all aspects of vaccine preventable disease particularly pneumococcal infections, varicella and infections in immunocompromise. She is also works in vaccine and medication safety and antimicrobial prescribing and is a member of the PHARMAC anti-infectives subcommittee.

Katrina Clark

National Indigenous Immunisation Coordinator, NCIRS, Sydney

Katrina Clark is the National Indigenous Immunisation Co-ordinator at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS), based in Sydney. Katrina is a proud Barkindji Woman from far Western NSW. She has a Graduate Diploma of Indigenous Health Promotion, a Diploma of Population Health, and a Certificate IV in Indigenous Research Capacity Building, and is currently enrolled in a Master of Public Health at the University of Sydney. Katrina’s current involves working with the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Immunisation Network to promote communication between the National Immunisation Committee and stakeholders involved in providing immunisation services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Katrina is committed to ensuring equity of access to immunisation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Alberto E Tozzi

MD Chief Innovation Officer, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy

Alberto Tozzi is a paediatrician and an epidemiologist with experience in vaccines and epidemiology of transmissible diseases. He worked in the Italian National Health Institute for more than 15 years. In 2004 Dr Tozzi moved to the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, where he continued to work in vaccine preventable diseases and developed projects on eHealth and digital medicine. Dr Tozzi serves currently the Hospital as Chief Innovation Officer. Dr Tozzi coordinates the Vaccine Safety Net web analytics project aimed to integrate web analytics into traditional epidemiological analyses. He also collaborates in a Joint Action on vaccines for monitoring vaccine hesitancy in Europe.

Caroline McElnay

Director of Public Health, Ministry of Health

Caroline McElnay has been the Director of Public Health at the Ministry of Health since February 2017, having previously worked in Hawke's Bay as a public health physician, medical officer of health and member of the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board executive team. She has a long-standing interest and experience in immunisation and was, before joining the Ministry, a member of the PHARMAC immunisation subcommittee. In her role as DPH she works with colleagues across the Ministry of Health to ensure that immunisation matters are a high priority.

Nadia Charania

Senior Lecturer, Auckland University of Technology

Nadia completed her doctoral studies in health sciences at the University of Waterloo in Canada in 2014. Nadia has research expertise in the areas of public health and infectious disease prevention and control, and specialises in qualitative research and participatory action research with a focus on community participation and knowledge translation. Her previous research primarily focused on improving local influenza pandemic preparedness with remote and isolated Canadian First Nations communities. Nadia joined AUT University in early 2015 where she is involved in a range of teaching, research and service activities. Her research programme is primarily directed towards reducing health inequities related to infectious diseases faced by marginalised populations, such as migrants and refugees. She is currently funded by the Health Research Council (HRC) for a study aimed at improving age-appropriate vaccination rates among children with refugee backgrounds in New Zealand.

Helen Petousis-Harris

Senior Lecturer, the University of Auckland

Helen is a vaccinologist and Senior Lecturer in the Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care and the Director of the Vaccine Datalink and Research Group at the University of Auckland. She has been involved in immunisation-related research since 1998 including clinical, social science, epidemiological and health systems. Her main research areas are vaccine safety and vaccine effectiveness. Helen is involved in vaccine trials and Drug Safety Monitoring Boards. She is the Chair of the World Health Organization’s Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS).

Adrian Trenholme

Paediatrician and Senior Lecturer, Dept of Paediatrics, University of Auckland

Adrian has been a paediatrican at Kidz First Children's Hospital, South Auckland since 1985. He is also a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland with research interests predominantly around respiratory infections in Maori and Pacific infants, including respiratory syntactical virus (RSV) infections, RSV vaccination in pregnancy, RSV immunoprophylaxis and non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. He obtained his medical qualifications at the University of Cambridge.

Jess Berenston-Shaw

Co-Director of The Workshop

Dr Jess Berentson-Shaw is a researcher and public communicator. Jess' research and teaching focusses on how researchers, scientists and other experts can change how they communicate to help people think more productively about the causes of and solutions to big social, health and environmental issues of our time. She focuses on how, as collectives of evidence informed change makers, we can motivate people to support and act on the 'upstream' solutions we know are effective. Jess has a PhD in Health Psychology and has worked in public health, academia, government and non-government organisations in New Zealand and in the UK translating and implementing best evidence and knowledge. She has researched and written extensively on family & child well-being, and is author of A Matter of Fact. Talking Truth in a Post-Truth World a BWB Text. Jess is Co-Director of the policy and communication think tank The Workshop, and is an Associate of the Public Policy Institute of Auckland University.

Nikki Moreland

Senior Lecturer, the University of Auckland

Nikki Moreland is a Principal Investigator of the Maurice Wilkins Centre and a Senior Lecturer in Immunology in the Medical Faculty at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Nikki has research expertise in humoral immunology and infectious diseases and her laboratory uses a range of approaches to study antibodies and their interactions. Her research focuses on the parallel goals of understanding the pathogenesis of rheumatic fever to develop safe and effective vaccines for Group A Streptococcus. Nikki had a lead role in the recent ‘Coalition to Advance to New Vaccines for Group A Streptococcus (CANVAS)’, a trans-Tasman initiative aimed at accelerating vaccine development.

Esther Willing

Lecturer, University of Otago

Esther Willing (Ngāti Toarangatira, Ngāti Koata, Nga Ruahine) is a lecturer in Hauora Māori with Kōhatu, Centre for Hauora Māori, Division of Health Sciences, University of Otago. Her research has focused on understanding how health policy and health services can improve Māori health outcomes and eliminate health inequities between Māori and non-Maori New Zealanders. Her PhD explored how District Health Boards implemented the Government’s immunisation health target for two-year olds and highlighted how taking a systems approach to improving immunisation services improved immunisation coverage for all children while also reducing immunisation inequities experienced by Māori children. She is passionate about research that can inform policy decisions that lead to health equity in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Yoshihiro Takashima

Coordinator of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation Unit, Regional Office for the Western Pacific, WHO

Yoshihiro Takashima has been the Coordinator of WHO's Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) for the Western Pacific Region (WPRO) since March 2018. Yoshihiro began his career with WHO in 2000 as regional coordinator for the WPRO Emergency and Humanitarian Action programme and as the Medical Officer of WHO China from 2003 to 2009. He supported the Chinese Ministry of Health in developing and implementing the National Plan of Action for Measles Elimination in China, 2006-2012. Since 2009, he has had lead roles in regional immunisation system strengthening and accelerated diseases control programmes. He has led development of the WPRO regional committee endorsed Regional Framework for Implementation of Global Vaccine Action Plan and Regional Strategy and Plan of Action for Measles and Rubella Elimination.

Submit an abstract

Abstracts have now closed

The 11^th New Zealand Immunisation Conference academic committee thanks everyone for their abstracts - decisions about abstracts were sent on Monday 8th July 2019.

This year, as well as full oral concurrent sessions of 20 minutes each (including 5 min questions), we are running a quick-fire oral concurrent session on Friday afternoon and a poster session. Quick orals will present a maximum of 3 slides within 7 minutes each (including up to 2 minutes for questions). They are invited to also present a poster, please confirm.

Posters need to be A0 portrait size and to be displayed for as long as possible throughout the conference and workshop. Where possible, please format them as for the abstract structure (e.g. intro, methods, findings, conclusions/outcome). It is expected that presenters will be available to discuss their posters during morning tea on Friday and Saturday mornings.

Immunisation Awards

The Immunisation Awards

The New Zealand Immunisation Conference Academic and Planning Committees are pleased to announce the inaugural Kererū and Kōkako Immunisation Awards. The Immunisation Advisory Centre and the Ministry of Health would like to acknowledge significant contributions made in the field of immunisation and vaccine-preventable disease control through two Immunisation Achievement Awards: an Academic Research Award and a Service Delivery and Practice Award. These Awards are to be granted once every two years in conjunction with the New Zealand Immunisation Conference.

The Kererū Immunisation Award for Academic Research

The Kererū Award is provided in memory of Professor Diana (Dinny) Lennon ONZM. Dinny had a high profile and impressive portfolio as an academic researcher in the field of preventable infectious diseases, both in New Zealand and internationally. Her work contributed to introduction of a vaccine against Haemophilus influenzae type b and leading work on vaccines to control epidemic meningococcal disease in New Zealand.

*The Kōkako Immunisation Award for Service Delivery and Practice***

The Kōkako award is provided by the Ministry of Health as direct acknowledgement of the contribution immunisation makes towards the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders. In particular it acknowledges the role of service delivery and practice as the crucial link between population health and whānau.

Download a copy of the application form here

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

The Awards will be presented to a person or group who through research or practice has advanced the prevention and control of vaccine-preventable diseases at the population level within New Zealand. The recipient(s) will:

be citizens or permanent residents of NZ.
have an outstanding track record in immunisation or vaccine-preventable disease control, or
- is an emerging researcher in immunisation or vaccine-preventable disease
have undertaken a substantial part of his or her work in New Zealand.

Nominees must be actively engaged in at least one of the following activities:

Research about immunisation, vaccines or vaccine preventable diseases that makes a contribution to the health of a significant population group and/or the knowledge about vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases;
Advocacy for the adoption of policies or programmes relevant to immunisation affecting the health of a significant population group;
Implementation of a programme that has had significant impact on immunisation coverage or awareness, or providing an implementation model for others to follow;
Health promotion relating to immunisation and vaccine-preventable diseases.

Nominations are made by a second party with the agreement of the nominee, providing comprehensive written evidence of contributions and how criteria for eligibility are met. A summary of no more than 1200 words should be submitted to address achievements and activities, including details of two referees in a position to comment on these criteria.

The nominations will be assessed by a panel of three to five individuals convened by the New Zealand Immunisation Conference Academic and Planning committees.

Social programme

Conference Evening Event, September 6th

5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Join us in the Owen G Glen Building downstairs area for an evening of entertainment, food and fun!
The Evening event will provide a great opportunity to relax and catch up with colleagues. We'll be serving delicious finger or fork food that will top you up if the days feasting has left a gap.
Drinks will be provided as well, with a cash bar for later on during the event.
Tickets for delegates are free, but we do request that you add one when registering for the Conference, for catering purposes.
If you wish to purchase a ticket for a partner not attending the Conference, they can be purchased for $30.00 each.

You will be given your ticket upon registering the morning of the Conference, please ensure you have it with you for admission to the function that evening.

Accommodation

Here are some accommodation options near the Workshop/Conference venue:

Four points by Sheraton Auckland	12 minutes walk	approximately $185/night
Waldorf St Martins Apartment Hotel	13 minutes walk	approximately $170/night
Copthorne Hotel Auckland	8 minutes walk	approximately $190/night
Ibis budget Auckland Central	15 minutes walk	approximately $125/night
Quest on Eden	10 minutes walk	approximately $140/night

Other options can be found on these sites:

booking.com

trivago

airbnb

Venue & Parking

Registration

Registrations are being managed on our Learning Management System.

Visit it here:

https://lms.conectus.org.nz

visit the site to create your account and choose one of the three options:

Full Registration (Workshop and Conference)	$610.00
Conference only	$450.00
Workshop only	$215.00

Once logged into the LMS, you will find the three options in the Training catalogue by filtering courses by 'Conferences'.

Contact

Conference convenor:

Theo Brandt: t.brandt@auckland.ac.nz