Page 17 - SAMRC Strategic Plan

PART A: SAMRC MANDATE
continued

(i) By 2030, substantially reduce the number mental disorder and that the prevalence for the
of deaths and illnesses from hazardous African Region is 11%. In this report, is also stated
chemicals and air, water and soil pollution that mental disorders are the leading cause of
and contamination. years lived with disability, accounting for one in
(j) Strengthen the implementation of the World every six years lived with disability, globally, and
Health Organization Framework Convention that the economic consequences of mental health
on Tobacco Control in all countries, as conditions are enormous.
appropriate.
(k) Support the research and development Objective 3 of the National Mental Health
of vaccines and medicines for the Strategic Plan 2023-2030 is to conduct mental
communicable and non-communicable health surveillance and research and strengthen
diseases that primarily affect low- and middle- innovation. One of the key activities under objective
income countries (LMICs), provide access to 3 is to establish a national mental health research
affordable essential medicines and vaccines, agenda in partnership with all research stakeholders
in accordance with the Doha Declaration on to meet national mental health priorities and
the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual submit to the National Health Research Committee
Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement and (NHRC). SAMRC can contribute to this objective
Public Health, which affirms the right of 3 through its research units, which among other
LMICs to use to the full the provisions in the priority areas already conduct research by:
TRIPS Agreement on flexibilities to protect (a) Collecting epidemiological data about the
public health, and, in particular, provide prevalence, aetiology, and consequences of
access to medicines for all. substance use and mental health problems,
(l) Substantially increase health financing and and designing and rigorously evaluating
the recruitment, development, training and interventions to reduce substance use and
retention of the health workforce in LMICs, promote mental health.
especially in least developed countries and (b) Promoting the use of basic science and
small island developing states. clinical research to improve the diagnosis,
(m) Strengthen the capacity of all countries, prevention and management of mental
particularly LMICs, for early warning, risk health disorders in South Africa.
reduction and management of national and (c) Promoting the use of psychiatry and mental
global health risks. health research findings in policymaking
and in practice.
The SAMRC’s mission is to advance the nation’s (d) Addressing the intersecting vulnerabilities
health and quality of life and addressing inequity in mental health and sexual and
by conducting and funding relevant and responsive reproductive health amongst adolescent
health research, capacity development, innovation girls and young women in South Africa.
and research translation. This mission will contribute
significantly towards achievements of most of the 4.5. Government to Government
targets set out under SDG 3. Collaborations
The Department of Health and the Department of
Science and Innovation have bilateral agreements
4.4. National Mental Health Policy
Framework and Strategic Plan with a number of countries forming South- South
and North-South relations. This opportunity will be
2023 – 2030 fully exploited by the SAMRC in the next five years.
According to the World Health Organization’s
World Mental Health Report (2022) -Transforming
Mental Health for All, it is estimated that on
average 13% of the world’s population live with a

16 SAMRC STRATEGIC PLAN 2025/26 – 2029/30