Page 49 - SAMRC Annual Report 2024-2025

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
aluminium cookware supply chain in South Africa,
focusing on material sourcing, manufacturing,
distribution, retail, and end-use. The outcome will
identify areas for intervention to support efforts to
reduce exposure to toxic metals.
Building Capacity Through
Training, Mentorship, and Support
The E&HRU is committed to building research
capacity and developing the next generation of
leaders in environmental health. Through various
training, mentorship, and postgraduate support
initiatives, the unit has played a pivotal role in
strengthening the skills and expertise of emerging
researchers and professionals in the field. These
efforts are integral to ensuring sustainable progress
in addressing environmental health challenges in
South Africa and beyond. In September, the E&HRU
Exhibition at World Environmental Day.
SAMRC ANNUAL REPOR T 2024-25
team participated in the 13th World Environmental
Health Day Commemoration hosted by the
National Department of Health in collaboration
with the Alfred Nzo District Municipality and the
Eastern Cape Department of Health. The theme
was "Environmental Health: Creating resilient
communities through disaster risk reduction
and climate change mitigation and adaptation".
Our team supported this initiative by facilitating
discussions, delivering presentations and running
an exhibition stand highlighting our research.
In January 2025, the E&HRUs Climate Change
and Human Health Research Programme team
participated in a training and skills transfer event
in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The event was hosted by
the University of Port Harcourt, in collaboration with
the University of Leicester, University of Ibadan,
University of Pretoria, among others, and was part
of a Wellcome Trust-funded study investigating
differentially impactful, multisystemic resilience
enablers. As youth are a key stakeholder group,
the E&HRU team actively engaged in SAMRC-
wide initiatives such as Gen S and STEMmentHER,
ensuring that environmental health issues and the
multidisciplinary skills needed to address them
were highlighted.
Navigating the Impact of US
Executive Orders on Funding
The US Executive Orders on funding and other
key environmental issues, such as withdrawing
from the Paris Climate Agreement, will have far-
reaching consequences. As it stands, the E&HRU
had one project halted. However, we are expecting
to feel the effects in the future particularly as the
US restricts or reallocates resources for research
on climate change, health initiatives, and disease
prevention programmes. This reduction in support
might also hinder collaboration between US-based
researchers and South African institutions working
on critical environmental health challenges. Given
the potential long-term impact of these funding
restrictions, agility will be crucial for E&HRU in
adapting to the evolving situation. The ability
to quickly pivot and identify alternative funding
sources and collaborate with other international
partners will help maintain momentum. This
adaptability will be essential in navigating the
uncertainty brought about by shifting US funding
priorities. The journey ahead requires collective
action, innovation, and unwavering commitment to
improving health outcomes for generations to come.
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