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Table 6. State of health in South Africa - Quadruple Burden of Diseases

Maternal and • Despite substantial investment in health in South Africa, maternal, perinatal and neonatal
Child Health outcomes remain suboptimal, particularly in the Free State, North-West, Limpopo and Northern
Cape provinces
HIV and • Substantial advances made in treatment of HIV and tuberculosis in last 30 years.
tuberculosis • Improved clinical services and robust programmatic care, including NIMART, and better drugs
• However, national cascades of care for HIV and tuberculosis remain suboptimal and an effective
vaccine remains elusive
Non- • Chronic underinvestment in NCDs
communicable • An epidemic of NCDs, driving morbidity and mortality
diseases • Lack of integration of clinical services
• Intersection of infections and NCDs warrants serious attention
• Hostile environment characterised by worsening social disparities and social determinants of
health
Violence and • Unacceptably high rates of injury and gender-based violence rooted in patriarchy and a history
Injury of violence
SAMRC will continue to conduct and fund research aimed at fighting these epidemics.

9.2.4 Public Health Emergencies of address inequitable access to life saving medical
International Concern (PHEIC) innovations and technology by the populations in
The South African NDOH issued a statement in 2024 the Global South, which was highly evident during
calling for calm as the World Health Organisation the COVID-19 pandemic. This declaration also
declared Mpox a PHEIC. In the statement NDOH deeply aligns with the SAMRC’s mission, to advance
“assured members of the public that the current the nation’s health and quality of life and address
Mpox outbreak remains under control in the inequity by conducting and funding relevant and
country, however, that does not mean people should responsive health research, capacity development,
become complacent because we have learned from innovation and research translation.
COVID-19 pandemic that viruses are unpredictable
as they mutate from time to time. The declaration 9.2.5 An open, responsive and impactful
does not translate into trade and travel restrictions National System of Innovation (NSI)
but serve as a clarion call for member states including The Department of Science and Innovation Decadal
South Africa to work together, fast-track approval of Plan 2022-2032 on the aspect of an open, responsive
the Mpox vaccine and treatment while maintaining and impactful NSI identifies the “need to make
strict safety protocols, and ensure these life-saving publicly funded research and the data generated
vaccines reach the most vulnerable populations in open, accessible, transparent, collaborative and
order to prevent further spread of this infectious, but closer to citizens, and thus more responsive to the
treatable disease, and the loss of lives” . needs of society and industry. Given (a) that societal
2
problems know no disciplinary boundaries, (b) that
Of relevance is the Rio De Janeiro declaration on many industrial and technological solutions require
health sovereignty in innovation and development of different or converging disciplinary perspectives,
diagnostics, vaccines and medications for addressing and (c) the importance of social and human
PHEIC in the Global South (see Annexure A). The dynamics in science research, transdisciplinary
SAMRC welcomes this declaration since it seeks to research is key. Transdisciplinary research not only

2 Health calls for calm as WHO declares Mpox a public health emergency of international concern | South African
Government (www.gov.za). Accessed 19 August 2024

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