Medical Research Council

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Medical Research Council Presentation
to the Portfolio Committee on Arts,
Culture, Science and Technology
September 3, 2002

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VISION Building a healthy nation through
research
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MISSION To improve the nations health
status and quality of life through relevant
and excellent health research aimed at promoting
equity and development
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KEY STRATEGIC IMPERATIVES
Values Ethics
                                                 
 
 
Health Research Priorities
Vision Mission
MRC STRATEGY
Risk Assessment
KPIs
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Board
Executive Management Committee
President
National Programme-Environment and
Development Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research
Group Exercise Science and Sports Medicine
Research Unit Health and Development Research
Group Health Promotion Research and Development
Group
National Programme-Health Systems and
Policy Burden of Disease Research
Unit Biostatistics Unit Cochrane Centre Health
Policy Research Group Health Systems Research
Unit National Telemedicine Lead Programme
Executive Directors
National Programme-Infection and
Immunity Amoebiasis Research Unit Clinical and
Biomedical Tuberculosis Research Unit Diarrhoeal
Pathogens Research Unit Genital Ulcer Disease
Research Unit HIV Prevention and Vaccine Research
Unit Immunology of Infectious Disease Research
Unit Inflammation and Immunity Research
Unit Malaria Research Lead Programme Operational
and Policy Tuberculosis Research
Group Pneumococcal Disease Research Unit South
African Traditional Medicines Research
Unit Tuberculosis Research Lead Programme
National Programme-Non Communicable
Diseases Anxiety and Stress Disorders Research
Unit Cancer Epidemiology Research Group Chronic
Diseases of Lifestyle Research Unit Crime,
Violence and Injury Lead Programme Dental
Research Institute Diabetes Research
Group Interuniversity Cape Heart Research
Group Medical Imaging Research Unit PROMEC Unit
National Programme-Molecules to
Disease Bioinformatics Capacity Development
Research Unit Bone Research Unit Centre for
Molecular and Cellular Biology Human Genetics
Research Unit Human Genomic Diversity and Disease
Research Unit Liver Research Centre Molecular
Hepatology Research Unit Molecular
Mycobacteriology Research Unit Oesophageal Cancer
Research Group SA MRC/British MRC Molecular
Reproductive Endocrinology Research Group
National Programme-Woman and Child Health Gender
and Health Research Group Maternal and Infant
Health Care Strategies Research Unit Mineral
Metabolism Research Unit Nutritional Intervention
Research Unit Perinatal Mortality Research
Unit Pregnancy Hypertension Research Unit
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CAUSES OF DEATH IN 1996
CAUSE NUMBER OF DEATHS PERCENT OF TOTAL
AIDS ? 25 ?
Heart Disease 31 528 10
Illdefined 29 607 9
Stroke 22 444 6
TB 18 094 7
Perinatal 9 187 3
Violence 61 006 19
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RESEARCH SPENDING
Baseline
Contract
13
14
1
8
HIV Aids
HIV Aids
5
TB
TB
6
Malaria
51
Malaria
Womens Health
4
14
Nutrition
Womens Health
62
Other
7
Nutrition
Other
15
Total
31
HIV Aids
39
TB
Malaria
Womens Health
Nutrition
Other
12
4
10
4

•        The MRC spends nearly 40 of its baseline
  direct research budget on the 5 key areas listed.
•        Nearly 85 of all contract income earned
  is spent on the 5 key areas listed (50 on
  HIV/AIDS).
•        More than 60 of all direct research
  income (contract and baseline) will be spent on
  the key areas.

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MRC KPI MODEL
Building a healthy nation through research
Stakeholder Perspective
Financial/Investment Perspective
Innovation, Learning and Growth Perspective
Internal/Organisational Perspective
Transformation Perspective

• The Financial and Investment Perspective contains
  indicators for economic sustainability, value
  adding to stakeholders, investment in
  organisational processes and innovation/learning.
•  
• The Transformation Perspective recognises
  development through diversity as a business
  imperative and enables the alignment of skills,
  processes and systems.
•  
• The Innovation and Learning Perspective is key to
  the future sustainability of the organisation.
  It is a long-term investment perspective in human
  resource development and knowledge management.
•  
• The Internal/Organisational Perspective provides
  an enabling environment for relevant and
  appropriate productive research.
•  
• The Stakeholder Perspective forms the vital link
  between the research function and the socio
  economic development impact. Key stakeholders
  include the legislature, community and industry.

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STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS (2002/2003) (Baseline) Resea
rch Capacity Development/Transformation Human
Resource Capital Development and
Retention Increase in respect of RFA
grants Expanding the MRC Provincial Outreach
Programme New Initiatives Biotechnology
Information Racial Disparities in Health Research
Group Ethics Research Research Translation and
Implementation Traditional Medicines Clinical
Trial Platform AIDS Portal Africa Research
Exchange and Fellowship Programme KPI Additional
funding for priority-driven research
initiatives HIV Behavioural Science
Research Tuberculosis Malaria Violence and Injury
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STRATEGIC AREAS
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National Health System

To reduce the burden of disease and improve
service delivery through relevant research and
supporting the development of evidence-based
policy within an ENHR framework

• Reports
• - The impact of HIV/AIDS on adult mortality in
  South Africa.
• - Home-based care for people with HIV/AIDS in
  South Africa. What will it cost?
• - Rapid Appraisal of Mortality Statistics in
  Cape Metropole.
• - Evaluation of the New Death Notification.
•  
• Policy Impacts
• - Impact of tobacco on health 
• - Violence against women
• Policy Recommendations
• - Targeting HIV-prevention efforts on truck
  drivers and sex workers Implications for a
  decline
• in the spread of HIV in southern Africa
  (December 2000).
• - Solving iodine deficiency in South Africa So
  near and yet so far (August 2000)
• - Use of insecticide-treated bednets by
  communities reduce malaria transmission in
  comparison to house spraying in KwaZulu-Natal
  (April 2000).

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To become a health and development Centre of
Excellence for the African continent through
sustainable, global networks and collaboration
and harnessing the resources of the continent
.Scope of Collaboration
International Collaboration
Some examples of collaboration and partnering in
international research projects
   HIV/AIDS Prevention Vaccine Development
Research Unit
NIH
The MRC has received major research grants to
conduct and manage (a) the Southern African New
York HIV Vaccine Trials Unit and (b) the South
African MRC HIV Prevention Trials Unit.Total
funding R120 million.  
   Malaria Research Programme
Mozal Community Development Trust
R4,7 million has been granted to provide and
manage malaria control systems to the communities
living near the Mozal Aluminium Smelter in
Maputo, Mozambique.  
   Tuberculosis Drug Research
The Rockefeller Foundation
Money was granted to the MRC to establish an
International Co-ordinating Office and Resource
Centre for the coalition of TB Research and
Development.  
Funds (R1,52 million over 3 years) have been
granted to support a collaborative partnership to
create a South African gender based violence and
health initiative.
   Gender and Health Group (Womens Health)
The Rockefeller Foundation
   HIV/AIDS Prevention Vaccine Development
Research Unit
NIH
The Institute of Child Health and Human
Development has awarded a grant of R1,6 million
for 3 years to conduct a study on the
Acceptability of Vaginal Microbicides.
SADC has contracted the MRC, through funding from
the European Union, for the development and
Epidemiological Network on Substance Abuse
(SENDU) in all SADC member states. The value of
the 5 year contract is R2,8 million.  
   Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Group
SADC (European Union Funding)
   Malaria Research Programme
WHO
The WHO has awarded the MRC funding to the value
of R1 million for research projects on
insecticide resistance and the extension of the
Mapping Malaria Risk in Africa project.  
   Health Technology Research Group
GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSithKline (UK) has renewed its contract with
the MRC to manage the South African component of
the international Action TB project. The value
of the contract for 2001/2002 is R5,9 million
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  Innovation and intellectual property   A
number of new patents in the area of
Biotechnology, Information Technology and
Materials Technology have been filed and are in
various stages of commercialisation.  
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  Health Socio-Economic Development
To create an enabling environment by
participating in inter-sectoral programmes and
initiatives in socio-economic development.   Soc
io-Economic Impact
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  Job creation and growth   Job creation for
researchers, and thus increasing the science base
of the country, is one of the most important
outcomes of the foreign exchange generated by
international grants.
CONTRACT APPOINTMENTS
1995
-
2000
Staff Total
No. of Cont. App.
500
s
e
400
e
y
o
300
l
p
m
e
200

f
o

100
.
o
N
0
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
451
431
442
477
489
532
3
6
6
22
75
111
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• Employment Equity

GENDER
RACE
Female 72.0
Black 78.0
White 22.0
Male 28.0
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MRC EMPLOYMENT EQUITY 2002
Black MRC Female MRC Black RSA Female RSA
Executive 66 22 13 13
Senior 29 36 18 21
Middle 40 62 44 43
Junior 64 73 56 40
Semi-skilled 83 70 82 39
Unskilled 95 57 98 29
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Capacity Development- Of the 55 masters and
doctoral scholarships awarded, 70 were awarded
to black applicants and 25 of the bursars
are located at historically black universities
(HBUs). - In the past year an additional R1
million was invested on new short-term research
grants and 40 of the additional funds were
awarded to successful applicants from the
HBUs.- In the past year the MRC increased its
investment in bursaries and scholarships by
12. - The number of post-doctoral
scholarships awarded was increased from 5
to 9. - A new category of research training
scholarships for the allied health
professionals was introduced and 8
scholarships were awarded in the first
round. -  Work-study positions for
undergraduate students were created in the
MRC units and groups. Five such bursaries
were awarded this year.
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National Contribution to the Development of
Health Researchers
MRC Bursaries and Research
Trainees
(76)
Other Funding Sources
(123)
MRC Employees
(56)
NRF Bursars
(30)
Provincial Employees
(54)
University Support
(56)
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MRC publication output in peer-reviewed journals
1996-2001 (excluding publications from RFAs)
e
u
l
a
v
d
n
a
r
1997 data exclude National Tuberculosis Research
Programme
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         NEPAD (Major intercontinental
networks) - SAZA Project Evaluating health
financing reform in South Africa and
Zambia - Mapping Malaria Risk in
Africa Collaboration with 8 data collection
centres and Lubombo SDI (South Africa,
Swaziland and Mozambique). - Indigenous
Knowledge University, Science, Humanities,
Engineering Partners in Africa (USHEPIA)- IKS and
Malaria - Telemedicine WHO Centre for
Telemedicine in the developing world - SENDU
South African Development Community Epidemiology
Network on Drug Use (SENDU) Partnership
between South Africa, Lesotho and Seychelles.
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LUBOMBO SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE A
Regional malaria control project between South
Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique to create a
malaria free platform for development

• In July 1999 President Mbeki, President Chissano
  and His Majesty, King Mswati III signed the
  General Protocol which puts in place a platform
  for regional cooperation and delivery.
• In October of 1999 the Lubombo Malaria Protocol
  and tri-national malaria programme was launched.
  
• In December of 1999 the World Heritage Convention
  Act was promulgated and the Greater St Lucia
  Wetlands Park inscribed on the
  World Heritage Convention list.
• In June 2000 the three countries signed the
  Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation and Resource
  Area Protocols (TFCA).

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HOME-BASED FOOD PRODUCTION OF PRO-VITAMIN A-RICH
FOOD - ORANGE FLESHED SWEET POTATO

• NIRU showed that home-based production of
  pro-vitamin A-rich foods, integrated with a
  community-based nutritional surveillance
  system, can alleviate vitamin A
  deficiency and reduce diarrhoea in
  preschool children significantly
• A variety of orange fleshed sweet potato rich in
  pro-vitamin A introduced during the study
  proved to be easy to grow and very popular
  among the community
• Only 50-70 g of this sweet potato can provide
  100 of the recommended daily intake
  of vitamin A
• Based on our results, NIRU was invited to
  participate in the Vitamin A for Africa
  programme which has as an objective the
  promotion of the production and consumption
  of orange fleshed sweet potato in Africa to
  combat vitamin A deficiency and poverty in Africa
• The NIRU model will be used as a model in the 5
  participating countries, ie RSA, Uganda,
  Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia

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Economic Sustainability
To achieve economical sustainability through
increasing our contracts and grants income,
commercialisation of intellectual assets and the
implementation of innovative business models and
processes
BASELINE vs CONTRACT/GRANT FUNDING 2000/2001
50,000,000
45,000,000
40,000,000
35,000,000
30,000,000
RANDS
25,000,000
20,000,000
15,000,000
10,000,000
5,000,000
0
Malaria
Tuberculosis
HIV / SAAVI
MRC UNITS
25

• Contract income

MRCs
INCOME CONTRACT RESEARCH
AND EXTERNAL GRANTS
-
R(m)
M
O
I
L
L
I
N
67
R 70
62
R 65
R 60
R 55
R 50
R 45
38.2
R 40
R 35
R 30
25.9
R 25
19
R 20
13.1
R 15
10.3
8.5
R 10
R 5
1994/95
1995/96
1996/97
1997/98
1998/99
1999/200
2000/2001
2001/2002
Projection
Estimate
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• Organisational Review
• System Wide SETI Review 1997
• MRC SETI Review 23-27 April 2001
• Key findings
• - The MRC has made substantial progress in
  implementing the recommendations made in 1997.
• - The MRC is a national resource and an important
  national asset that has made substantial progress
  as a centre of research excellence within the
  African continent and the global international
  community.
• Future increase in the resource allocations be
  linked to the recommendations to enable the MRC
  to implement them fully.
• The autonomy of the MRC should be maintained