Page 7 - SAMRC Strategic Plan

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

OF THE SAMRC

The South African Medical Research Council The Strategic Plan 2025/26 – 2029/30 also confirms our
(SAMRC) provides leadership in health research in focus to fund research based on local development
South Africa and beyond. The country’s health is a priorities and disease burden, while ensuring that our
significant part of economic development: healthy research is globally relevant. Through Self- Initiated
populations live longer; and are more productive. Research grants, the largest set of grant awards,
There are many factors that impact on population where approximately 45 new three- year awards are
health, with South Africa facing a quadruple burden made annually, we aim to develop scientific capacity
of disease: ranging from stagnating mortality in and transformation of the pipeline of researchers.
pregnant women and infants to increasing morbidity Through the Mid-Career Scientist Programme, we
and mortality associated with noncommunicable aim to create a new generation of science leaders.
diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension,
cancer, mental health disorders, as well as the Transformation in science remains an integral part
epidemics of tuberculosis and HIV, that overwhelm of our strategy, we have over the past five years
our health system. increased the number of Masters’ and Doctoral
students supported through our programmes,
As the country’s Science Council conducting while developing a cohort of interns and clinicians,
and funding health research, innovation and which includes the Bongani Mayosi National Health
development, the SAMRC is posed to decrease the Scholars Programme (NHSP), an ambitious public-
disease burden in South Africa. The Strategic Plan private partnership. The Bongani Mayosi NHSP
2020/21 – 2024/25 reinforces our research efforts is a flagship PhD development programme and a
across five strategic pillars: (1) The administration of national initiative to advance the next generation of
health research in an effective and efficient manner; African health and clinical scientists. The Programme
(2) The generation of new knowledge; (3) Supporting is funded by the NDOH and the Public Health
innovation and technology transfer to improve Enhancement Fund (PHEF), the PHEF is a non-profit
health; (4) Building sustainable health research entity to leverage and contribute to strengthening
capacity in South Africa; and (5) Research translation the health sector, which will lead to a stronger
into policy and practice. relationship between public and private sectors to
the benefit of all our people. The Bongani Mayosi
Driven by the five key strategic pillars, the SAMRC NHSP has already produced 47 graduates (87% of
has pioneered cutting-edge medical innovations, which are PhDs) in various health professions.
the development of novel treatment regimens,
vaccine development, diagnostic tools, new drugs Through a tight fiscal environment, the SAMRC has
and devices, aimed at the improvement of the health delivered on impactful science and will continue to
status of people in South Africa. do so effectively and efficiently, as guided by the
Public Finance Management Act.
The Strategic Plan 2020/21 – 2024/25 serves as our
guide to deliver on quality research, high impact As we implement the new Strategic Plan, we will
science and to ensure that health science flourishes. ensure that our budget is spent on funding science
With strategic direction from the SAMRC Board, the and innovation and less on administrative costs.
SAMRC is set to strengthen all components of our
research endeavour. Partnerships across frontiers, North-South, South-
East, South-South, remain critical in furthering our

6 SAMRC STRATEGIC PLAN 2025/26 – 2029/30