Hunter Medical Research Institute To Answer Burning Covid-19 Questions Thanks To NIB Grant

BY ISABEL EVERETT

The Hunter Medical Research Institute has received a funding boost to deliver their "Fast Facts" project, which will quickly arm health officials with up-to-date evidence to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

HMRI-affiliated researcher and University of Newcastle Associate Professor Luke Wolfenden, received the  funding grant from NIB. 

Working with the HNE COVID-19 Public Health response team, Associate Professor Wolfenden will collaborate with international disease experts and Hunter New England Health public health physician, Associate Professor Craig Dalton, to address COVID-19 health questions. 

The team will work closely with Cochrane Australia and Cochrane International, to access a living register of COVID-19 studies,  which includes bank of research questions and access to experts.

“This funding from nib  will enable us to establish a research team that can take the best Australian and International evidence and apply it locally, nationally and globally,” Associate Professor Wolfenden says.

“Given the novelty of the virus, early responses to the disease outbreak were based on similar viruses such as SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome),” explains Associate Professor Wolfenden. “However, while COVID-19 is related to these viruses, it is genetically, epidemiologically and clinically distinct.”

One of the questions this project may address is is the incubation period and how does this impact quarantine.

A number of small studies have reportedly been done so far, the project aiming to pool their data to provide a more precise and reliable estimate of the incubation period.

HMRI Institute Director Professor Tom Walley emphasised the importance of a cohesive approach to applying evidence-based research in times of a global health crisis. 

“This is a time when we need evidence and research, rather than opinion, to inform our actions,” Professor Walley says. “This work will make the best evidence available quickly to enable clinicians and policy makers to use it for patient benefit.”

Other important issues this project will examine include assessing the risk of infection and transmission among healthcare workers, and identifying the frequency and virus attach rates in schools.

nib Group Chief Medical Officer, Dr Mellissa Naidoo, said the $126,000 research partnership is important given there is still no vaccine or treatment for COVID-19.

“It’s vital that clinicians can access the most up to date research and evidence to inform patient care and community health,” Dr Naidoo said.

“We already have the expertise at a local level so we can move quickly to start work on the project,” Associate Professor Wolfenden says. “We’ll be working together over the next 6 – 8 months to ensure that the COVID-19 response is produced rapidly to a scientifically rigourous standard.”

Image Credit: APP

NIB Set To Donate Unclaimed Dividends

BY OLIVIA PORTELL

Hunter-founded private health insurer, NIB, is set to donate almost 2.5 million dollars worth of five-year-old unclaimed dividends to charity.

This is something that has never been done by an ASX listed company, with unclaimed funds usually going to the Office of State Revenue.

The funds will go to the NIB Foundation, which is a not-for-profit charitable trust that supports Australian charities.

NIB Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Mark Fitzgibbon says it is a positive alternative.

"We think it's a much better use of the unclaimed money than it would be to pass it on to the state government- we just think this is a better approach."

However, whilst he says it is a good initiative, it is important that those who are owed money receive it.

"We're very eager to ensure that those people who are entitled to these unclaimed dividends are able to claim them."

Fitzgibbon says roughly 2000 people from around the Hunter are amongst the 9000 shareholders who still need to claim their payments.

He says that whilst most of the payments are small, there are some that are quite significant.

"The average is only about $300 worth of unclaimed dividends, but there's one I noticed there as large as almost $1500."

Fitzgibbon is encouraging those who think they may be owed dividend payments to contact them before the 31st of August to ensure they receive their money.

"We're urging people to contact us, either by phone or online- we've made a lot of effort in recent years to contact them- a number they could call is 1300 664 316."

Hunter charities receive welcome funding

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Health and wellbeing projects carried out by Hunter charities are set to receive a welcome boost, with the nib foundation's announcement of this year's Community Grant Program recipients.

Amongst the 10 beneficiaries, six will conduct projects to improve the health of youths and carers within the Hunter region- Camp Quality; Family Planning NSW; Youth Off the Streets; Diabetes NSW; Waves of Wellness and the Australian Trust for Conservation Workers.

They'll share in $300,000 worth of funding, with grants ranging from $5000 to $50,000 being awarded by the foundation.

Executive Officer of the nib foundation, Amy Tribe, said it represents a continued commitment to improving local health services.

"This is our ninth annual Community Grant round," she said, "we've provided nearly $16 million in grant funding to more than 105 charity partners here in the Hunter and across Australia during that time."

Ms Tribe said nib foundation has recognised the need for better access to health services and education and programs which develop life-skills and social connectedness as a priority.

She believes the charities chosen are making a real difference in the lives of at-risk individuals.

"We'll be helping Camp Quality to train more volunteers, we'll be expanding the Waves of Wellness therapy programs for young people with mental health problems in the Port Stephens area, and our grants will also support Youth Off the Streets to continue their work with highly disadvantaged youths in the Kurri Kurri region."