Centre for Health Research

Centre for Health Research and Diagnostics

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welcome

The Center for Health Research and Diagnostics (CfHRD), located at Modilon Campus in Madang was established over time from 2007 – 2010 and it became fully operationally in 2010. Its main purposes are to accommodate research and student teaching laboratories for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. In addition to teaching and research, the CfHRD also has a pathology diagnostic service.

At present, the CfHRD has two teaching laboratories, with each providing 20-30 seating capacity. The laboratories are equipped with adequate number of microscopes. The Center also has an environmental health laboratory which contained basic equipment and chemicals for testing of environmental samples such as water. A biochemistry laboratory for teaching purposes is currently being established. The Center has a pathology diagnostic laboratory which operates daily on week days providing clinical diagnostic services to both public and private clinics/hospitals in Madang. The pathology diagnostic services include malaria microscopy, microbiology, hematology and biochemistry analyses. The center has two small research laboratories. The Centre has identified four Key Research Areas (KRAs) for which it is focused in its research endeavors where the university academic staff can be affiliated and conduct research in any of the KRAs.

Dr. Melanie Koinari, PhD
Director Centre for Health Research and Diagnostics

Key Research Areas

The Centre has identified five key research areas (KRAs) which provide the platform for research. Research can be conducted within any of the KRA as outlined:

KRA1: Clinical Research– which involves human subjects in hospital or in non-hospital settings.

KRA2: Health Services and health system Research – which involves research into health system and health care service delivery.

KRA3: Population and Public Health Research– which involves research into epidemiology, community health or socio-behaviour sciences.

KRA4: Biomedical Research – which involves basic/laboratory-based research

Training & Diagnosis Services

The Center provides laboratory practicals for students practical in the Departments of Medicine, Environmental Health and Health Extension (Rural Health). From 2010 – 2016, the Center conducted Rural Laboratory Assistants (RLA) and Medical Laboratory Assistants (MLA) training for the National Department of Health (NDoH). This training has ceased until a future date (TBA).

The Centre also provides laboratory diagnostic services to both private and public clients on user pay policy practices.

Research Activities

Present research activities are focused on KRA 4- Biomedical Research. The research projects are conducted by the Center’s staff and include:

A retrospective study of blood samples with microcytic anemia in patients from Madang clinics recorded in CfHRD diagnostic lab.
Report on the prevalence of patients with STDS (Chlamydia and Neisseria) in Madang recorded in CfHRD diagnostic lab over the last 7 years.
Report on the prevalence of malaria infections in Madang recorded in CfHRD diagnostic lab over the last 7 years.