The Supporting Triple Elimination in Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste (STEPT) project is continuing to go from strength to strength with news that it will continue until at least 2025.
Led by ASHM in collaboration with in-country partners, the STEPT project supports efforts to achieve the ‘triple elimination’ of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B via parent-to-child transmission in Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste.
The STEPT project will continue to be delivered throughout 2024/25 in collaboration with existing partners Catholic Church Health Services in Papua New Guinea and Maluk Timor in Timor-Leste.
Recent STEPT project updates
Triple elimination training in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea
From 28 May – 1 June, ASHM co-delivered triple elimination training in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea to 39 participants from health services and facilities across the province. The training was delivered in partnership between ASHM, Catholic Church Health Services, National Department of Health (PNG), and Milne Bay Provincial Health Authority.
Following training, participants can now confidently test and provide treatment for HIV and syphilis, as well as administer the hepatitis B dose to infants within 24 hours of birth. These services are critically important towards Papua New Guinea eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B. The training put person-centered care front and centre, covering equality and inclusion and supporting participants to consider how to embed disability and gender equality in their services.
A social worker from the Milne Bay PHA Family Support unit joined the training to take the participants through child protection and local reporting and referral structures.
A comparison of pre- and post-training evaluations showed that the training was a great success, improving the knowledge base of participants by approximately 30%.
Going forward into 2024/25, the STEPT project in Milne Bay will work to address the broader systemic barriers preventing testing and accurate reporting. In 2022, it was reported that only 4.5% of women attending a first antenatal care (ANC) visit were tested for HIV. During the training staff shared challenges with testing supplies and reporting tool availability at a facility level, suggesting that these statistics may underrepresent triple elimination services being delivered in Milne Bay.
ASHM and our local partners will work to ensure that testing and treatment are available at the facility level, and that staff are trained to conduct and report testing and treatment to better reflect the HIV and syphilis situation.
Site visit in Dili, Timor Leste
In April, ASHM and Maluk Timor welcomed DFAT personnel conducting an Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) monitoring visit to the Formosa Community Health Centre (CHC) in Dili, where the STEPT project is being implemented in Timor-Leste.
The visit provided valuable insight into the progress, current challenges, and positive impacts of the STEPT project so far. Thanks to the project, Formosa CHC has been able to move to point-of-care testing during antenatal care consultations, meaning patients can receive test results and be connected to care quickly when they need it.
The clinic was supported to increase the rates of hepatitis B vaccination within 24 hours of birth, seeing the Formosa CHC exceed targets for February and March.
Midwives at Formosa CHC have also been supported in updating their knowledge around parent-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis through workshops and group sessions. These midwives will continue to advance their awareness and ability to provide triple elimination services by undertaking a hands-on clinical Triple Elimination Training Package soon.
“Seeing the incredible work happening in Dili first-hand has been inspiring,” Alexis Apostolellis, CEO of ASHM, said.
“It’s clear that the passionate, determined local health workforce have embraced the STEPT project – and it’s thanks to them that triple elimination is a real possibility in this community,” he said.
The STEPT project is dedicated to inclusion across all project activities. This year, the national organisation for people with disabilities in Timor-Leste, Ra’es Hadomi Timor Oan (RHTO), were engaged to conduct an assessment of the clinic and birthing suite to better accommodate people with disabilities. RHTO also delivered training to midwives on how to better support women with disabilities in ANC services.
More about the STEPT project
You can read more about ASHM’s STEPT project by visiting the Supporting Triple Elimination in Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste (STEPT) project webpage.
The STEPT project is delivered in partnership with the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) and with support from our ASHM Members.
