Page 27 - SAMRC Strategic Plan

PART B: SAMRC STRATEGIC FOCUS
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structural determinants health, strengthening within communities, and particularly during
governance and leadership, transparency, public health crises (including but not restricted
inclusivity and accountability, and allocation of to pandemics), should be capacitated to embrace
adequate resources remain fundamental. agility and flexibility (including consideration for
(k) As part of PHC reengineering and reform, REC reciprocity within institutions and research
integration and coordination of key healthcare sites).This will allow for rapid generation of new
system policies, guidelines, and practices, such knowledge, and facilitate its utility to inform
as those pertaining to HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis, policy, guidance and practice.
metabolic syndrome, maternal child health and (p) There should be a coordinated effort towards
cancer, remains paramount. the realisation of a National Research for Health
(l) PPPs should be further strengthened as additional Translation Hub – to facilitate the translation
opportunities for research, research funding, and implementation of historically generated
innovation and to support capacity building for and novel information, findings and data into
research. impactful evidence-based policy, guidance, and
(m) Research and mapping exercises to track practice.”
funding resources for research for health
should be prioritised, further, strategic, and Coordination and alignment of the SAMRC’s research
legislative frameworks should be explored to priority areas in the context of the National Health
ensure alignment of government investment Research Committee is an instrumental area where
in research for health with commitments made the SAMRC can improve and capitalise on some of
internationally to finance health research (such as the research units’ contributions and support to the
the Mexico and Bamako Declarations). Given that NDOH. The SAMRC researchers serve on strategic
funding sources and agencies for health research national, regional and international advisory
are predominantly international, initiatives (such committees and working groups and, in doing so,
as the SAMRC’s Funders Fora) aimed at aligning provide input that influences policy changes in
external funding with research on health priorities areas affecting the health and quality of life of South
for the country should be strongly supported and African citizens. This participation culminates in the
sustained. New financial partnerships uncovered development of service delivery platforms, tools
by the pandemic should be further strengthened and guidelines for practice which ensure increased
and explored to support research for health. The capacity of health workers as they benefit from
establishment of a National Research for Health training at all levels of the health system.
Priority Fund, to fund health research priorities,
supported by international and novel sources of 10.4.1.3. South African Ethics in Health
funding (including the private sector), should be Research Guidelines
a foremost priority for implementation. The South African National Health Research
(n) The optimisation, implementation of, and user Council (NHREC), under the auspices of the NDOH,
compliance with research monitoring tools, such issued the South African Ethics in Health Research:
as NHRD should be supported and finalised, to Principles, Processes and Structures’, 3rd edition
inform whether the nature of research is aligned (NDOH 2024), which replaced the Ethics in Health
with national health research priorities, and Research Principles, Processes and Structures, 2nd
further, to assist with capacity development by edition. According to the then Minister of Health, Dr
identifying the caliber of research, institutional Phaahla, “they are the national guide to ensure that
eminence (historically advantaged versus research is conducted in accordance with the highest
disadvantaged), geographic locations and ilk of ethical norms and standards for conducting research
researchers. responsibly and ethically, as measured against these
(o) The institutional research ethical review revised, updated, and tailored guidelines appropriate
processes, encompassing those relating to to the needs of South Africa”.
academic health complexes and health facilities

26 SAMRC STRATEGIC PLAN 2025/26 – 2029/30