Midwife receives Micheal Alphers award

A midwife Susina Yatapya has received the Micheal Alphers award for excellence in health research.

Australia High Commission First Secretary, Health Dr Ramez Alhazzaa was delighted to present this prestigious award to Susiana yesterday at PNGIMR in Goroka.

In honour of the late Professor Michael Alphers,the Australian government has announced the launched of Alphers award for Excellence in health Research in January 2025.

Late Alphers was the longest serving director of PNGIMR,his dedication and passion for combating major health challenges such as Malaria and pneumonia,as well as his ground breaking work on Kuru,were second to none.

To honour late professor Alphers' Legacy,the Australian government will fund outstanding Papua New Guineans to attend the annual General Meeting of the Australian Society for Infectious Diseases in Canberra,which he was an honorary life member.

Susina, who is a midwife has received the award for her excellent contribution to understanding the effect of malaria in pregnant women and vulnerable populations.

Susina is from Wabag but was born and raised in Port Moresby.She has been working has a nurse midwife in central Province for almost 10 years.

She conducted her research in several villages in the Abau District of the Centaral Province and came up with the statistics and interpretation of her thesis.

She is an honours graduate from the General Soedirman university of Central Java in Indonesia in the Faculty of Health . Sciences.

She applied for this award and they chose her thesis.

Commenting on the award, Susina says She is extremely grateful to receive this award for her research. She is super appreciative of her sponsors, PNG-AUSTRALIA transition to Health, IMR and to the late professor Michael Alphers for this great opportunity.