Page 6 - SAMRC AnnualReport 2025-26

FOREWORD BY THE CHAIRPERSON

The 2025/2026 financial year marks a period of
I am pleased to endorse consolidation and forward positioning for the SAMRC
as the organisation advances the implementation
and present the first of its 2025/2026–2029/2030 Strategic Plan. Within

SAMRC Annual Report this context, the Board has maintained a steadfast
focus on governance, accountability, and strategic
as the Chairperson oversight, ensuring that the SAMRC continues to
execute its mandate with integrity and measurable
of the SAMRC Board. impact.
The current SAMRC This Annual Report showcases an institution that

Board took office on not only maintains excellence in health research
1 November 2025 and but also adapts to a rapidly changing scientific
landscape. Reflecting the theme of this year's
found an organisation report on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in medical
and health research, the growing integration of
performing well, AI and data-driven methodologies across the
with a clear Annual SAMRC’s research portfolio marks a significant
shift in how evidence is produced, analysed, and
Performance Plan for translated into policy and practice. For the Board,

the year under review. this development has necessitated a deliberate
enhancement of governance systems to ensure that
innovation advances in line with the organisation’s
public mandate.
PROFESSOR
TYRONE PRETORIUS
Across the Council’s research units, AI-enabled
approaches are enhancing work in key priority
areas, including burden-of-disease estimation, HIV
and tuberculosis modelling, genomics, and violence
and injury surveillance. These advancements are
improving the depth, accuracy, and timeliness of
research outputs that inform national health policy.
The Board’s role in this regard has been to ensure
that the necessary controls, safeguards, and ethical
frameworks are in place to support this work,
particularly in relation to data governance, privacy,
and the responsible use of increasingly complex
datasets.

In implementing its fiduciary responsibilities, the
Board has continued to uphold the principles
of ethical leadership, effective control, and
transparency. During the year under review,
this has included strengthened oversight of risk
management systems, internal audit functions, and
compliance processes, particularly as they relate to
digital and data-driven research environments.

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