Page 22 - SAMRC Strategic Plan

in the medical devices and diagnostics sector and 10.3. Outlook for the next five years
increasing the size and competitiveness of the Notwithstanding the current tough economic climate
local manufacturing industry; and investments and a worrying economic outlook, the SAMRC is
in the “omics”, including the SAMRC Genomics committed to ensuring proper allocation of core
Platform and precision medicine initiatives. funding from the National Treasury through NDOH,
(j) In 2017, the SAMRC partnered with other grants and contracts from the Department of Science
researchers to embark on a new proof-of-concept and Innovation and other government departments
study called Imbokodo, which enrolled 2,600 HIV- and entities, and other income/funding generated to
uninfected women aged 18 to 35 years in sub- improve the health of people in South Africa, through
Saharan Africa and was implemented at clinical research, innovation, development, and technology
transfer.
trial sites through the National Institute of Allergy
and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) also funded by The SAMRC will continue to support programmes to
the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN).
address the top 10 causes of mortality in South Africa;
(k) Tuberculosis is among the top ten causes of death invest in efforts to reduce morbidity and improve health
in South Africa and the SAMRC is compelled to outcomes; support health innovation and technology
conduct responsive research to decrease this development, build a sustainable health research
disease burden. SAMRC has through the internal capacity and ensure translation of research into policy
and external research units managed to put and practice that improves health.
tuberculosis under the spotlight by identifying
gaps in the prevention and management of the The SAMRC will, further, take lessons from COVID-19
epidemic. to ensure adequate preparation for the next
pandemic. Pandemic preparedness is, in some circles,
(l) In 2019, the SAMRC launched Africa’s first whole
genome sequencing institute in partnership with defined as a national security issue. Therefore, during
“peace” there a is need for ministries such as Finance
the Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI). The SAMRC and Health to have a deeper understanding of the
Genomics Platform serves as a resource to both potential for pandemics to devastate the Nation.
South Africa and the rest of the African continent. Political commitment is urgently needed. At this stage,
(m) Establishment of 14 new extramural research units it can no longer be asked whether there will be another
(EMU) in the past 5 years (total 28 EMUs) – seven pandemic. The question to be asked is whether we will
of which are led by recognised and emerging be ready when the next pandemic hits. The SAMRC
women science leaders. This is in line with our will continue to form part of and/or spearhead the
Transformation Agenda and commitment to processes for pandemic preparedness. We cannot
bringing a gender parity to science. wait for the next crisis to act; time to act is now. On
the collaboration and partnership aspect, SAMRC
(n) The SAMRC was instrumental in the fight
against COVID-19 including designing and will continue to strengthen its relationships with local
implementing Sisonke study which provided early regional and international universities and institutions.
access to vaccines to healthcare workers. The
SAMRC launched a new SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater 10.4. Environmental analysis
Surveillance Programme and Dashboard. The SAMRC recognises the importance of
The Dashboard is part of a wastewater-based considering environmental changes and trends for
early warning system for COVID-19 and other threats and opportunities to assist in the development
of its strategies. We realise the necessity for paying
pathogens on which information about levels of attention to both external and internal environments
SARS-CoV-2 RNA are shared with the public and for the organisation to remain relevant, responsive
public health decision-makers, based on data and competitive. The SAMRC has identified critical
from more than 70 wastewater treatment plants stakeholders and research areas, that will inform the
across four provinces in the country. entity’s priorities and decision making over the five-
year strategic planning period.

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