Academy of Science South Africa 2005/6 Annual Report

Programme 3ASSAfAn Academy of Science can serve as a unique andvaluable entity, in national systems of innovationand science based developmentSpecificity related to genetic and individually applicable developmental factors will be thoroughlyexplored and interpreted in relation to generally applicable human responses.The study will be rooted in the national context; and the report on the study, while strong in reviewingand evaluating all the available, reliable scientific evidence, will be written in very clear, non-technicallanguage so that it will be useful to a broad range of users. (The reporting model established by the USNational Academies for its extensive set of consensus studies will be prototypical, based as it is on avery impressive track record of effective intervention on topics of national importance in that countryand beyond.)The Expected Impact of the Study: The main tangible output of the proposed study will be anauthoritative ASSAf Report published in the public domain but presented in an appropriate way tothe Ministry and Department of Health and to the various provincial health departments. The mainconclusions and recommendations will be summarised in a readable and useful form. The document willbe one that can also be made available to teaching and training institutions to influence the content andapproach of their programmes and to the media in order to reach the broad mass of the public to help withinfection prevention and health promotion. The ASSAf Report is expected to influence public policy in thearea of prevention, support and therapy of the pandemic infections now current (such as Mtb and HIV),and to achieve the anticipated benefits through provision of clear guidelines inter alia for the following:The conduct of trials to assess the efficacy of nutritional interventions in HIV- and/or Mtb-infectedindividuals.The use of general and specific nutritional interventions in preventing, controlling and amelioratingthe effects of infections on their hosts.Cost-effective planning and resourcing of appropriate support measures for infected individuals andcommunities in meeting their nutritional requirements.Programmes of public health education, and partnerships with industry in employee support.The production/processing of foods and nutritional supplements.The Expected Impact of the Study:The main tangible output ofthe proposed study will be anauthoritative ASSAf Reportpublished in the public domain butpresented in an appropriate wayto the Ministry and Departmentof Health and to the variousprovincial health departments.Annual Report 2005/0641