Aurecon provides technical expertise and assistance on health and HIV to AusAid

5 May 2009

On behalf of AusAid, Aurecon's international development assistance business, IDSS, and HLSP, Mott MacDonald's international health consultancy, will be jointly managing the new Australian Health Resource Facility (HRF).

Located in the Aurecon Canberra office, HRF's role is to provide AusAID and (subject to the approval of AusAID) clients such as World Health Organisation and UNAIDS with responsive technical assistance.

HRF is a new demand-driven facility providing high quality and appropriate technical assistance and expertise in health and HIV. The facility has strong specialist health and HIV knowledge, and established links within the health and HIV sectors, both in Australia and internationally.

The HRF is growing a global database of experts it can call upon at anytime to provide technical and advisory assistance for AusAID.  Through this programme Australia is better positioned to help its neighbours and regional countries deal with a range of health and HIV issues.

One of HRF's scope of expertise includes responding to the needs of AusAID's Pandemics and Emerging Infectious Diseases Strategy, 2006-10.

"This includes access to experts/advisors with experience in public health surveillance and pandemic preparedness. If requested the HRF will be able to provide expertise to respond to the current outbreak of swine flu," Nathan Rabe, General Manager of IDSS comments.