Opening remarks by the Minister of Science and Technology, Derek Hanekom, at the Conference on Animal and Human Vaccine Development in South Africa, University of Pretoria
Programme Director, Prof Robert Millar,
Prof. Cheryl de la Rey, Vice Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria,
Prof. Shabir Madhi, Executive Director of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases,
Prof Gerry Swan, Dean of Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria,
Mr Jaco Smit, Sanofi Pasteur,
Representatives of Industry,
Distinguished international visitors,
Scientists, researchers and technicians,
Members of the media,
Ladies and gentlemen.
In the late 1890s, a rinderpest epizootic wiped out over half of the livestock of the territory now known as South Africa. Some accounts put the tally at 90%. During the early part of the 20th century, human populations around the world were routinely ravaged by smallpox, polio and influenza, among other diseases. The world was a dangerous place in which to live.
Until recently, though, we have tended to forget just how dangerous it was, because global investment in vaccine development has been such a stunning success, with vaccines for yellow fever, measles, mumps, hepatitis A and B, rabies and tetanus saving millions of lives every year, as well as millions in health-care expenses.
Prevention is always better than cure but, when there is no cure, this is particularly true. The basic research and product development work that go into the development of new vaccines, and the roll-out of vaccination programmes, are hugely cost-effective from both a public health and livestock industry perspective. But in South Africa we have tended to under-invest in them. Vaccine development has been seen as a "grudge purchase", like insurance.
Now, however, our complacency has been shattered by the HIV/Aids and tuberculosis pandemics, and we recognise the urgent need to up our game. New threats to human and animal health can descend upon us like bolts out of the blue. Are we able to respond? Old threats may resurface in forms our existing vaccines are not fully equipped to counter. Are we ready?
The AIDS epidemic has also brought home the reality that vaccine development is a long-term process that requires, among other things, dedicated scientists, up-to-date infrastructure, a supportive funding environment, an effective institutional set-up, and a proper balance between basic research, on the one hand, and product development, on the other. These conditions do not occur by chance. They require deliberate and careful strategising, combined with persistence and commitment.
Although we have made progress in the past decade or so, we are still not where we should be. The establishment of the Biovac Institute through a public-private partnership was a good move. The commitment of new investment to Onderstepoort Biological Products, Biologix and Deltamune will help South Africa recover at least some of its ability to produce a spectrum of vaccines for animal and human health.
There are already a great many other positive developments of which we can be proud. Together with the Technology Innovation Agency, the Medical Research Council, the Agricultural Research Council and the National Research Foundation, among others, the Department of Science and Technology is playing its role in supporting these developments, for example through the recently launched Bio-economy Strategy.
However, we still have a way to go. Currently, South Africa lacks a coherent, far-sighted, strategic national vaccine plan, and this leaves vaccine development programmes struggling to compete for resources against the many other pressing needs of our young democracy. Such a plan will have to clarify a number of issues.
First, the complexity of the vaccine research and development process is such that it necessarily involves multiple institutions and activities. How do we ensure that the entire vaccine development value-chain is supported when the current set-up favours basic science at the expense of product development?
Secondly, recognising that the South African market is too small to support a cutting-edge vaccine industry on its own, we have to clarify how we will forge links with the rest of the continent, making sure that we treat other African countries not just as a market, but as co-creators and beneficiaries of something vital to our common interest. With diseases failing to respect national borders, our vaccine strategy will need an international dimension. How best can we promote collaboration with centres elsewhere in the developing or developed world?
Thirdly, although we hope to succeed in increasing funding for vaccine development, there will always be pressure to seek efficiencies. One possibility might be to seek synergies between human and animal vaccine development. The strategy should give an indication of how and where we can aim to save time, effort and costs.
Then we need to make it clear what the respective roles of the public and private sectors will be. How are we to promote a strong public sector in a manner that stimulates rather than stifles private-sector investment? How do we make the best possible use of government resources, while encouraging private investments that serve the public good?
And finally, how do we ensure that vaccine development attracts skills and expertise, now and in the future? The Department of Science and Technology is already making a contribution towards improving science and mathematics education, and attracting more young people into science, engineering and technology careers in general. We need to find the models of funding and institutional development that will work best to draw scientists and researchers specifically to a career in vaccine development.
Each of these issues is complex on its own, but they overlap and intersect in numerous intricate ways. Over the next three days, you will grapple with these questions of overall strategy, as well as with many technical matters regarding particular research and development challenges.
Engagements such as these are vital, and I would like to express our gratitude to the organisers, including, from the University of Pretoria, Prof. Robert Millar, Director of the Mammal Research Institute, and Prof. Gerry Swan, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. From the University of Strasbourg, we must thank Prof. Marc van Regenmortel, Emeritus Director of the French National Centre for Scientific Research.
I would also like to welcome Prof. Shabir Madhi, Executive Director of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, and Dr José Esparza, representing the Gates Foundation, which is a generous funder of HIV-related vaccine research and development in South Africa. We commend and acknowledge the contribution that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation continues to make in this space.
We welcome the recent announcement of the establishment of two strategic multi-year partnerships with the Medical Research Council and the University of Cape Town which will see a total of R370 million investment made by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation into projects aimed at finding vaccines and other medical innovations to HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria .
We are fortunate to have a truly impressive array of speakers and participants, from South Africa and abroad. I am sure this meeting will bear much fruit.
Thank you!
