Dr Mahomed Said Patel

MBBCh FRACP FAFPHM OAM
Honorary Professor, Applied Epidemiology
ANU College of Health and Medicine

Areas of expertise

  • Epidemiology 111706
  • Health Information Systems (Incl. Surveillance) 111711
  • Infectious Diseases 110309
  • Technical, Further And Workplace Education 130108
  • Public Health And Health Services 1117
  • Public Health And Health Services Not Elsewhere Classified 111799

Biography

I have expertise in public health and epidemiology, including strengthening capacity for the surveillance, prevention and control of communicable diseases. I have been a faculty member of the Master of Applied Epidemiology Program (the Australian Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) at the Australian National University since its inception in 1991. The Program strengthened Australia’s capacity to prepare for, and respond to, endemic, epidemic and emerging communicable diseases. The Program was awarded the Australian Learning and Teaching Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2009. I have designed, planned and helped implement two-year FETPs in India (1999), China (2002), Malaysia (2004, Vietnam (2008) and in the Pacific Islands (2018).

I was a founding member and Inaugural Chair of TEPHINET (Global Network of Training Programs in Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions) between 1997 and 2000. At that time, the Network included the FETPs in over 25 countries/regions (currently over 70 member programs globally). In this position, I played lead role in developing networks of communication and collaboration between FETPs and the two regional WHO offices in Asia (WPRO & SEARO), pooled training resources from all member programs, and initiated a Continuous Quality Improvement Program for FETPs.

I have worked in leadership positions in collaboration with national governments in the Indo-Pacific Region, the World Health Organisation (in Geneva, the Western Pacific Regional in Manila and the South-East Asia Regional Offices in New Delhi) the Asian Development Bank, Association of South East Asian Nations, The Pacific Secretariat, Fiji National University, and AustralianAID. The purpose of these collaborations was to help:

  • Establish, implement and evaluate national teaching & learning programs in field epidemiology;
  • Design and transform research to inform health actions, policies and programs;
  • Design, lead and evaluate surveillance and response systems to epidemic threats; and to
  • Monitor implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005).

I have worked with the Global Outbreak, Alert and Response Network in various capacities: as Team Leader for Preparedness and then for Response to the SARS outbreak in 2003 at the WHO Office in Manila, as member of the WHO team that evaluated China’s response to its first outbreak of avian influenza in humans in 2005, and as team support member for controlling the cholera outbreak in South Sudan 2014.

Current student projects

Nyoman Sutarsa. PhD candidate. Impacts of HIV-related Health System Strengthening Initiatives in Developing Countries

 

Publications

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Updated:  08 July 2024 / Responsible Officer:  Director (Research Services Division) / Page Contact:  Researchers