"Global Public Health Challenges in the Indo-Pacific/Central Asia"
 
March 2-7, 2023
 
Cambodia, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, Timor-Leste, Vietnam
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Whether communications challenges, or public health officials battling infectious disease and pandemics, or the scientists finding vaccines and other preventive measures, and the health professionals​ on the frontlines of the pandemic, this IVLP delegation of public health officials experienced the full panorama of academic healthcare research, medical centers and journalism reporting on the Covid-19 pandemic in Tampa Bay!
 
This IVLP program showcased Tampa Bay's world-class scientists, physicians, health care professionals and administrators and a seasoned journalist who produced a daily column for over two years to help journalists better inform the global public about what was known, what wasn't known, and to sort through the misinformation and disinformation related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Al Tompkins of the Poynter Institute conducted a special weekend session on reporting the Covid-19 pandemic, stating that “the harm that will come from misinformation is far greater than any virus in the next five years.” He encouraged the visiting public health officials to take control of their own messaging, noting that otherwise “people may never hear your message”. He predicted the visitors will be fighting viruses and misinformation going forward, and reviewed some tools to make their communications job easier.
 
At the St. Petersburg Police Department, City and County emergency management and public health officials discussed how local and regional coordination impacts pandemic response. Moving to Tampa General Hospital, Dr. John Sinnott, Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at USF’s Morsani College of Medicine, brought together his team of infectious disease experts for roundtable discussion of the approach taken by USF Health and Tampa General Hospital to combat the pandemic from its earliest appearance in the Tampa Bay area. Topics included: Special laboratory procedures; hospital-wide infection prevention; connecting TGH with the community and the public health department; training procedures; the key role of the Global Emerging Diseases Institute; and the TGH Clinical Command Center.
 
Dr. Donna Petersen, Dean, USF College of Public Health, welcomed the group to the College, and organized panel discussions by her colleagues, focusing on: College of Public Health research initiatives on infectious disease; the role of the Global Health Infectious Disease Team and Genomics Center; and, a seminar on Global Health Infectious Disease.
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​Special thanks to Dr. Sinnott for hosting these IVLP visitors for a personal boat ride and private luncheon, and a TGH reception, and to all who participated to make this project so meaningful to our visitors:

  • Mr. Al Tompkins, Senior Faculty, Broadcast and Online, The Poynter Institute
  • Ms. Amber Boulding, MPH, FPEM, Manager, Office of Emergency Management & Fire Rescue, City of St. Petersburg
  • Ms. Erin Bates, Public Health Preparedness Program Manager, Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County
  • John T. Sinnott, MD FACP, Chairman of Department of Internal Medicine, J. Cullison Professor of Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida
  • Suzanne Silbert, Ph.D., director, Esoteric Testing/R&D and Microbiology Laboratories, Tampa General Hospital
  • Kimberly Atrubin, MPH, CIC, CPHQ, Director, Infection Prevention, Tampa General Hospital
  • Beata Casanas, D.O.,  Executive Medical Director, Hillsborough County Health Department, &  Professor, Morsani College of Medicine, Internal Medicine
  • Lynette Menezes, Ph.D., Assistant Vice President International Health, & Assistant Dean International Health, Professor of Medicine, University of South Florida
  • Kami Kim, M.D., Director, Division of Infectious Disease and International Medicine, Co-Director, Center for Global Health Infectious Diseases Research, Andor Szentivanyi Professor of Medicine, University of South Florida
  • Dr. Peter Chang, Vice President of Healthcare Design, Tampa General Hospital
  • Dr. Donna Petersen, Dean, College of Public Health, University of South Florida
  • Dr. Jason Salemi, Associate Professor, College of Public Health, University of South Florida
  • Dr. Christine McGuire-Wolfe, Assistant Professor, College of Public Health, University of South Florida
  • Dr. Amber Mehmood, Associate Professor, College of Public Health, University of South Florida
  • Dr. John Adams, Distinguished University Professor, Distinguished USF Health Professor, Director, US Genomics Program, Co-Director, Center for Global Health & Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida
  • Hassan Hassan, MSc, Research Associate, College of Public Health, University of South Florida
  • Dr. Kelli Barr, Associate Professor, College of Public Health, University of South Florida
  • Dr. Edwin Michael, Professor, College of Public Health, University of South Florida
  • Dr. Liwang Cui, Director for Greater Mekong Region International Center for Excellence in Malaria Research, and Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida
  • Dr. Tina (Thao) Ho, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics - Neonatal, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida
  • Dr. Jonathan Stiles, Professor, Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry & Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Morehouse College