Combining health and social protection measures to reach the ultra ...

InnovationMajor classificationMajor infectious diseasesNoncommunicable diseases anddisabilitiesMental healthNutritionOther infectious diseasesInjuriesICT in healthDisease/Intervention areaHIV/AIDSTBMalariaCancerDiabetesHypertension/heart disease/strokeMental health/nervous system disordersRespiratory infections, incl. COPD and asthmaEndocrine and metabolic diseasesZoonoses, new and emerging diseasesDiarrhoeal diseasesTrauma, including burnsHealth informatics, telemedicine & e-health,Biostatistics and bio-informaticsResearch areasVaccine development, Microbicides, Drug discovery and evaluationDrug discovery and evaluation, Diagnostics, Vaccine developmentDrug discovery and evaluation, Diagnostics, Clinical epidemiology, VectorinteractionDiagnostics, Imaging, Drug discovery and evaluationDiagnostics, Drug discovery and evaluation, Medical devices and selfmanagementtoolsDiagnostics, Drug discovery and evaluation, Medical devices & selfmanagementtoolsImaging, Drug discovery and evaluation, Medical devices and selfmanagementtoolsFood security research, Food supplementationDrug discovery and evaluation, Medical devices and self-management toolsDrug discovery and evaluation, DiagnosticsDiagnostics, Drug discovery and evaluationDiagnostics, Drug discovery and evaluationImaging, Medical devices, Drug discovery and evaluationTable 2: Health areas identified as priority areas for the development of Department of Science and Technology interventionsResearch institutions with higher levels of expertise will beencouraged to partner with institutions with limited capacityin order to build research capacity at these institutions.Examples of these consortia are the South African AidsVaccine Initiative, South African Malaria Initiative and theBrain and Behaviour Research Group.The progress with regards to the expected outcomes will beevaluated on an annual basis, with biennial conferences andworkshops to showcase the progress and to re-align theresearch efforts.Existing and future trends in healthresearch, development and innovationIn their article, Morel et al 1 highlighted a number ofdeterminants for Health Innovation Systems that will enablea developing country to maximize its ability to addressdiseases of the poor, namely:1. creating capacity for and undertaking R&D.2. creating and sustaining capabilities to manufactureproducts to appropriate standards.3. promoting and sustaining domestic markets.4. promoting and sustaining export markets.5. creating and implementing systems for IntellectualProperty (IP) management.6. creating and implementing systems for drug, vaccine,diagnostic and device regulation.Currently the main focus of the Research, Development andInnovation Strategy of South Africa is on the strengthening ofR&D capacity, as well IP management. The localmanufacturing of products is also receiving more attention. TheMedicines Control Council of South Africa is a well-establishedentity and falls under the jurisdiction of the nationalDepartment of Health. All new drugs and vaccines need to beapproved by the Medicines Control Council before they can beintroduced to the market in South Africa. It is noteworthy thata similar system for medical devices is also envisaged.Total South African R&D expenditure:2005/06The Department of Science and Technology conducts anannual Research and Development Survey, based on theFrascati Manual i of the Organisation for Economic Cooperationand Development (OECD).Data extracted from the 2005/06 Research andDevelopment (R&D) Survey results database, indicated thatin South Africa the total spend for R&D in 2005/06 wasR 14 149 239, with reported direct health R&D expenditureapproximately 10.6% at R 1523 billion (Figure 1).In 2005 the total South African Health Care Systemcontributed approximately 8.1% to South Africa’s GDP 7 . Asthe GDP for 2005 8 was estimated at ZAR 1 539 billion, thenthe total South African Health Expenditure is estimated atR 125 billion. The Health R&D expenditure is thenapproximately 1.2% of the total South African HealthExpenditure for 2005/06. This is, however, still below the 2%target that was set by the South African Government.The analysis of the 2005/06 R&D Survey indicated thatprivate companies were responsible for approximately 44% ofall Health R&D being conducted in South Africa, whileUniversities accounted for approximately 36% of the healthresearch (Figure 2).However, the 2005/06 results reflect that 67% of all healthresearchers are working at universities (Figure 3).This discrepancy between the percentage R&D fundsversus the Health Researchers per sector illustrates there isi.The Frascati Manual was developed by the Organisation for Economic Cooperationand Development and sets out the methodology for collecting andusing statistics about research and development in countries that aremembers of the OECD.078 ✜ Global Forum Update on Research for Health Volume 4