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About NEPHU

The North Eastern Public Health Unit (NEPHU) is one of nine Local Public Health Units (LPHUs) across metropolitan and regional Victoria. NEPHU is funded by the Victorian Government and works closely with the Victorian Department of Health.

The purpose of NEPHU is to work collaboratively to improve the health and wellbeing of the population of north east metropolitan Melbourne through evidence-informed approaches, reflecting the diverse needs across the region it serves.

For more information about the role of LPHUs and their catchments, you can read more at the Victorian Department of Health website here.

Healthy people, healthy places, and a healthier tomorrow.

NEPHU serves the northern and north-eastern metropolitan region of Melbourne, from the Yarra local government area, extending north to include the Hume and Whittlesea local government areas, and north-east to include Nillumbik and the Yarra Ranges.

Serving a population of over 1.8 million people, across 12 local government areas and 118 postcodes, the NEPHU catchment is one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse regions in Australia.

What we do

The NEPHU team is made up of public health and infectious diseases doctors, population health and prevention officers, environmental health officers, infection prevention and control nurses, epidemiologists, and communication and engagement specialists.

Health Protection

The Health Protection Branch oversees the management of more than 80 notifiable conditions, under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008, undertaking case, contact, and outbreak management. They work collaboratively with local health services, primary and community health providers, other state government agencies, local government, and local communities to support coordinated and effective public health action. The team also supporting prevention and education initiatives, including emergency and pandemic responses.

Population Health

The Population Health Branch works collaboratively with partners such as local government, community health and many others in the prevention sector to promote health and wellbeing, and prevent chronic diseases such as cancer and diabetes. The Population Health Catchment Plan (2025-2029) articulates the strategies and frameworks the team use to do this, and outlines the five priority areas of focus which are aligned to the Victorian Health and Wellbeing Plan (2023-2027).

Dr Annaliese van Diemen

DIRECTOR

Annaliese is a specialist Public Health Physician. She graduated from medicine at Monash University, going on to train as a General Practitioner before moving into Public Health medicine. Annaliese held several roles at the Department of Health, including Deputy Chief Health Officer (Communicable Disease) before joining NEPHU in May 2021, and was appointed Director in October 2023.

SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM

Cathryn Baldwin

DEPUTY DIRECTOR NEPHU OPERATIONS

Dr Katherine Ong

SENIOR PUBLIC HEALTH PHYSICIAN

Asmara Jammali-Blasi

SENIOR MANAGER HEALTH PROTECTION OPERATIONS

Melanie Chisholm

SENIOR MANAGER POPULATION HEALTH

Contribute

Share with us your past, present and future programs, projects, research, or resources.

Contribute

Contact

We would love to hear from our community. Please note that NEPHU does not provide individual medical advice for patients.

Contact

Acknowledgement of Country

NEPHU acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work, live and play on. We pay our deepest respects to their Elders, past and present.

We recognise and honour the enduring connection that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have to this land, water and Community.