Spotlight on hepatitis B | 2022

The Spotlight on hepatitis B is an annual workforce development initiative coordinated by the Victorian Hepatitis B Alliance (VHBA).

**Times of individual presentations will be sent out prior to the day, so you can log in and out of the full-day session as you please, attending either the full day or just the sessions you are interested in seeing**

World Hepatitis Day is on the 28th July, with the theme: Hepatitis Can't Wait.

Each year the Spotlight aims to improve the treatment, management and care of people living with chronic hepatitis B.  Our theme for this years event is Getting back on track in the response to chronic hepatitis B.

The webinar will be hosted on Zoom/Slido.

Attendees will be provided with a certificate of attendance. 

Who should attend?

These webinars are tailored to the education and training needs of:

People working with communities affected by hepatitis B

Health workers, midwives, community workers, clinicians

Policy makers and researchers 

People living with hepatitis B and not working in these settings are warmly encouraged to attend.

Who is the VHBA?

The Victorian Hepatitis B Alliance (VHBA) is an independent, multi-disciplinary community of practice that aims to build momentum behind the Victorian response to hepatitis B. VHBA formed in 2008. We consist of both individual members and organisational representatives, including multicultural and Indigenous health and social services, clinical service providers, researchers, community health services and individuals with an interest in hepatitis B. The multi-disciplinary nature of VHBA creates a unique opportunity for networking and exchange of information and expertise.

If you have any questions about this event, or would like to become a member of VHBA, please email: whoccvh@mh.org.au

Presenters

MC - Chloe Pedley | LiverWell

Chloe Pedley is the health promotion manager at LiverWELL incorporating Hepatitis Victoria. She has a background in health promotion, sexual and reproductive health, and a keen interest in harm reduction for Alcohol and Other Drugs. 

Gabrielle Bennett | St Vincent’s Hospital 

Gabrielle Bennett (RN, RM, Grad. Dip. CHN, Grad. Dip. Women’s Health, MPH) is a Registered Nurse/Midwife with experience working in primary health care in the areas of drug use & blood borne viruses, refugee health, remote Aboriginal communities and women’s health. She has worked in policy, education and public health. She is currently the Victorian Viral Hepatitis Educator based at St Vincent’s Melbourne.

Jennifer MacLachlan | The Doherty Institute 

Jennifer MacLachlan is the senior epidemiologist for the WHO Collaborating Centre for Viral Hepatitis at The Doherty Institute. Her work focuses on the innovative utilisation and analysis of publicly available datasets to inform epidemiology and public health action, and she currently leads the National Viral Hepatitis Mapping Project.

Nafisa Yussf | The Doherty Institute

Nafisa Yussf is a Social Researcher and Project Manager at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Viral Hepatitis, Doherty Institute. Her current research focuses on the prevention of mother to child transmission of hepatitis B. Her passion is health equity and improving the lives of people affected by hepatitis B.

Elizabeth Birbilis | Department of Health and Human Services 

Elizabeth Birbilis is a senior policy officer, with a lead on viral hepatitis, within the Sexual Health and Viral Hepatitis team in the Public Health Division at the Victorian Department of Health. She has held this position for 6 years and has worked for the department for 27 years in various policy roles across public health.

Dr Jack Wallace | Burnet Institute 

Jack Wallace is a social researcher looking at the social, cultural and political impact of hepatitis B by investigating the lived experience of people with hepatitis B. He is a senior research officer at the Burnet Institute and, in spite of his advanced age, has an Early Career Fellowship from the NHMRC.

Dr Matt Penn | North Richmond Community Health 

Matt is a General Practitioner of Medicine at North Richmond Community Health. Matt has an interest in blood born viruses and work with patients living with chronic hepatitis B and HIV. Matt is also interested in hepatitis C treatment.

Sharon Harris | Victorian Government Department of Health

During the past 22 years Sharon has developed a wealth of clinical immunisation knowledge and expertise performing roles in a diverse range of immunisation sectors including Government and private sectors. Sharon has worked with the Department of Health during the past four years and continues to provide the National Immunisation Program in Local Government as a clinical Nurse Immuniser.

Kylie Johnson | cohealth

Kylie is a midwife and refugee health nurse working in Melbourne’s West on Boonwurrung and Woiworung country. Her previous experience includes health promotion, specialising in HIV and hepatitis, sexual health and sexuality, policy development and project evaluation. She has worked in Australia and South-East Asia.  

Dr. Nicole Allard |The Doherty Institute & cohealth

Dr. Nicole Allard is a post-doctoral researcher and medical epidemiologist at VIDRL and a general practitioner and public health lead at cohealth. She has a special interest in hepatitis B treatment and COVID-19 care in primary care.