Academy of Science of South Africa
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Root Causes of Low Vaccination Coverage and Under-Immunisation in Sub-Saharan Africa
Get PDFAcademy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), (2021). Root Causes of Low Vaccination Coverage and Under-Immunisation in Sub-Saharan Africa.Sub–Saharan Africa (SSA) alone accounts for 40% of all global deaths, a phenomenon attributed to lack of access to available lifesaving vaccines (Wiysonge, Uthman, Ndumbe, & Hussey, 2012). WHO estimates that in 2019 the African region accounted for approximately 43% of unimmunised and incomplete immunised infants in the world (i.e.: 8.5 million of the global 19.4 million). Relatedly, the region scores the lowest immunisation coverage, at 76% versus the global coverage of 86% (WHO, 2020a).
This is despite several documented efforts by different stakeholders to improve coverage in the region (Mihigo, Okeibunor, Anya, Mkanda, & Zawaira, 2017). Many studies have been conducted on coverage and drivers for and bottlenecks against immunisation in
SSA. (Wiysonge, Uthman, Ndumbe, & Hussey, 2012), (Wiysonge, Young, Kredo, McCaul, & Volmik, 2015), (Mihigo, Okeibunor, Anya, Mkanda, & Zawaira, 2017), (Madhi & Rees, 2018),(Bangura, et al., 2020), all of which have observed that there is varied performance among the constituent countries, and also within countries over time, denoting some implicitly common underlying correlates threading through areas of higher performance; and the same is seen with the poorer performing areas.
This consensus study therefore seeks to categorise and make explicit these “root causes” and based on documented successes, to make recommendations to address the bottlenecks and harness the opportunities for reaching every child with all the recommended vaccines. The theory of change presentation style used in this report, categorising the root causes under four broad interlinked themes, can provide a common basis to rally like-minded partners around a thematic cause and thus develop multi-component, comprehensive strategies to bring about impactful change. This is in line with the call made by the World Health Organisation Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation, which recommended that countries, regions and global immunisation partners commit to a comprehensive review of progress, impact, and implementation of the WHO Global Vaccine Action Plan to inform a post-2020 strategy taking into account lessons learned. This strategy will assist with attaining the relevant United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)
South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC
ICT in Science – Towards empowered South African Citizens
No full textMP4 video, Size: 2.63; Duration: 1:12:21Please cite as: Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), (2021). ICT in Science – Towards empowered South African Citizens. [Online] Available at: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11911/192Science engagement plays a pivotal role in bringing trusted information to the public, however, not all communities are accessible in South Africa and science engagers are in short supply. Alternative ways need to be explored as to how to empower citizens and equip them with knowledge to make informed decisions. Informed and knowledgeable citizens can in turn contribute to a more developed citizenry, where the concept of development involves several dimensions of transformation, including the creation of wealth (that is, rapid and sustained economic growth) and its distribution in a fashion that benefits a broad spectrum of people rather than a small elite (that is, a reduction in social inequality) (Shrum, 2001). This webinar tried to address the following questions: • Can ICT assist in making trusted scientific information accessible to all? • Which challenges does the country face in achieving success in this regard? • Are there any success stories on how ICT has positively impacted on a more scientifically engaged citizenry? • What needs to change if we want to succeed in utilising ICT for increased science engagement
The Presidential Employment Stimulus: Research Opportunities
Get PDFPlease cite as: Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) and Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) (2021) The Presidential Employment Stimulus: Research Opportunities. Available at: https://doi.org/10.17159/assaf.2021/0069The Panel discussion titled “The Presidential Employment Stimulus: Research Opportunities”, was hosted on 10 December 2020 by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) at the Science Forum South Africa (SFSA) 2020. The Presidential Employment Stimulus was launched in parliament on 15 October as part of government’s Economic Recovery Strategy. It directly funds 800,000 employment opportunities that are being implemented within the current financial year, but it is anticipated that it will also become a medium-term programme. The stimulus includes public employment programmes, job retention programmes and direct support to livelihoods. The single largest programme is run by the Department of Basic Education, which, in the last fortnight, recruited 300,000 young people as school assistants, to assist schools to deal with the setbacks faced as a result of the pandemic. The stimulus supports employment in the environmental sector and over 75,000 subsistence producers are receiving production grants through an input voucher scheme. There is a once-off grant to assist over 100,000 registered and unregistered Early Childhood Development Practitioners back on their feet, as well as a significant stimulus to the creative sector.
The session set out to provide an introduction to the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme (PESP), a key programme within government’s economic recovery plan led by Dr Kate Philip. The key objective was to get input from the research community on how the work that they are already doing and future work could contribute to the M&E efforts and be augmented in such a way that the PESP could become a medium-term programme. The DSI plans to hold further engagements in 2021 to mobilise the wider research community to provide evidence-based research in order to shape the research agenda that would support the M&E work and identify short-term issues that need to be factored into the department’s work plans, under the guidance of Dr Philip.Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), South Afric
Why environmental management must become the new normal (3/4)
Get PDFMP4 Video; Duration: 1:20:48Please cite as: Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (SAGE), (2021). Why environmental management must become the new normal (3/4). [Online] Available at: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11911/214SAGE hosted a webinar series in partnership with ASSAf, SAYAS and INR on “Why environmental management must be become the new normal”. The series aimed at raising awareness on the importance of emergency risk mitigation in the context of environmental management. The series sought to answer the following questions: 1. How can we prevent future pandemics and human-driven environmental emergencies? 2. How should we manage the environment in a more pro-active and integrated fashion? The third webinar focused on the following topics: 1. Accountable GREEN leadership and strengthening of democracy in South Africa. 2. Environmental Management: A local government perspective. 3. Participatory environmentalism in the new normal: Framing post pandemic futures for climate action praxis. 4. The Future is Now: Understanding the role of Space in Monitoring future Disease Outbreak.SAGE is supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa, the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the United Kingdom (UK) Department for International Development (DFID), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through the Newton Fund, South Africa’s Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), and Fonds de Recherche du Québec (FRQ)
Uniting people through diversity – coming together during times of need
Get PDF1MP4 Video; Size: 242MB; Duration: 1:30Please cite as: Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), (2021). Uniting people through diversity – coming together during times of need. [Online] Available at: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11911/202Panellists: Dr Stanley Maphosa, Prof Brij Maharaj (Professor of Geography and Deputy President of the South African Hindu Maha Sabha), Sultan Sheikh Yasin Muhammad Yaqeenullah Allamal Yaqen Muhammad (Grand Mufti SA and President of Muslim Supreme Council of South Africa (MUSCOOSA)), Dr Winnie Tshirumbula (Pentecost Church of God). September is heritage month in South Africa, celebrated on 24 September each year by recognising and celebrating the cultural wealth of the nation. South Africa boasts a richness of cultural diversity from the precolonial era to the present. Heritage is an integral component of all communities and links identity to ancestors and for continuity in future generations. Aspects of heritage intersect with our daily cultural traditions, oral history performance, ritual, popular memory, skills and techniques, indigenous knowledge systems and the holistic approach to nature, society, and social relationships. Heritage plays an important role in promoting cultural diversity, social cohesion, reconciliation, peace, and economic development. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected some aspects of our cultural practices. These include restrictions on burial practices, our grieving processes, not being able to visit the sick in hospitals, etc. Moreover, the social distancing in informal settlements and rural communities has been a challenge to the young and the old.
To celebrate our diversity, the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) hosted a webinar with the Religious Sector to discuss these issues, how they have been affected, how they have gone around them and also take recommendations for the future
Why environmental management must become the new normal (2/4)
Get PDFMP4 Video; Duration: 1:45:42Please cite as: Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (SAGE), (2021). Why environmental management must become the new normal (2/4). [Online] Available at: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11911/213SAGE hosted a webinar series in partnership with ASSAf, SAYAS and INR on “Why environmental management must become the new normal”. The series aimed at raising awareness on the importance of emergency risk mitigation in the context of environmental management. The series sought to answer the following questions: 1. How can we prevent future pandemics and human-driven environmental emergencies? 2. How should we manage the environment in a more pro-active and integrated fashion? The second webinar focused on the following topics: 1. South Africa's National Healthy Eating Guidelines Sustainable Diets the People and the Planet. 2. Environmental Management as the New Normal: Towards a Framework for the Covid 19 Pandemic Analysis. 3. Investing in Ecological Infrastructure for Water Security. 4. Pathway towards Climate Mitigation and Resilience requires a Transdisciplinary Approach.SAGE is supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa, the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the United Kingdom (UK) Department for International Development (DFID), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through the Newton Fund, South Africa’s Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), and Fonds de Recherche du Québec (FRQ)
Dinosaurs of Africa
Get PDFMP4 Video; Size: 858MB; Duration: 01:02:57Please cite as: Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), (2021). Dinosaurs of Africa. [Online] Available at: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11911/225This talk formed part of the South African National Science Week, and was presented via a webinar on 5 August 2021. In this popular-level talk, Prof Chinsamy-Turan focuses on dinosaurs recovered from Africa. She tells us about what we currently know about dinosaurs as once living animals, and she highlights the global importance of dinosaurs from Africa. The presentation features the beautiful dinosaur illustrations by Luis Rey who is known for managing to breathe life into these millions of years old bones
The Launch of the National Rollout of the Municipal Innovation Maturity Index (MIMI) (A tool to measure innovation in municipalities)
Get PDFPlease cite as: Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) and Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) (2021) The Launch of the National Rollout of the Municipal Innovation Maturity Index (MIMI) (A tool to measure innovation in municipalities). Available at: https://doi.org/10.17159/assaf.2021/0076The MIMI project was initiated by the DSI in partnership with the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), the HSRC and UKZN. The purpose of this initiative was to develop an innovative tool capable of assessing and measuring the innovation landscape in municipalities, thus enabling municipalities to adopt innovative practices to improve service delivery.
The outcome of the implementation testing, based on the participation of 22 municipalities, demonstrated the value and the capacity of MIMI to produce innovation maturity scores for municipalities. The digital assessment tool looked at how a municipality, as an organisation, responds to science, technology and innovation (STI) linked to service delivery, and the innovation capabilities and readiness of the municipality and the officials themselves. The tool is also designed to recommend areas of improvements in adopting innovative practices and nurturing an innovation mindset for impactful municipal service delivery.
The plan going forward is to conduct learning forums to train municipal officials on how to use the MIMI digital platform, inform them about the nationwide implementation rollout plan and support municipal officials to engage in interactive and shared learnings to allow them to move to higher innovation maturity levels. The virtual launch featured a keynote address by the DSI Director-General, Dr Phil Mjwara; Prof Mehmet Akif Demircioglu from the National University of Singapore gave an international perspective on innovation measurements in the public sector; and messages of support were received from MIMI partners, delivered by Prof Mosa Moshabela, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) of Research at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and Prof Leickness Simbayi, Acting CEO of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). It attracted over 200 attendees from municipalities, government, business and private sector stakeholders, academics, policymakers and the international audience.
@ASSAf_Official; @dsigovza; #MIMI_Launch; #IIDDepartment of Science and Innovation (DSI), South Afric
Quest Volume 17 Number 2 2021
Get PDFCite: Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), (2021). Quest: Science for South Africa, 17(2). [Online] Available at: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11911/191Acids, alkalis, and the pH scale: Andy Brunning, aka Compound Interest, puts us in the picture - Acidophiles: living in acid! Don Cowan gives an overview of microorganisms of acidic environments – AMD: Mauro Lourenco tells us about acid mine drainage and its treatment - Southern Cape streams: Chris Curtis reports on the region’s naturally acidic black and white streams - Acid rain: Quest explores how it became a catalyst for cross-border cooperation - Stream acidification: Londiwe Khuzwayo shares her research on acid deposition in streams - Sinkholes, springs and early shelters: Nick Baglow and Ponani
Mthembi explain their acid connection - Soil acidification: Jean-Pierre Pellissier and Pieter Swanepoel discuss its implications for agriculture - Ocean acidification: Carla Edworthy tells us about this threat to the marine environment - Become a shark citizen scientist: Chantel Elston introduces us to ELMO - Dating Bokoni: Ruby-Anne Birin, Alex Schoeman and Mary Evans explain how they dated an ancient settlement - The sky’s the limit for UKZN rocket scientists: Sally Frost and Christine Cuénod celebrate their achievements - Warp drives: Mario Borunda reports on the chances of faster-than-light space travel -Combing the giraffe: Harriet Box quizzes Jamie Paulse about her MSc study on giraffe in the Klein Karoo - The evolutionary history of our oral bacteria - Matie microbiology students kick butts - Raising awareness on indigenous knowledgeDepartment of Science and Innovation; Academy of Science of South Afric
Gender and Innovation: Implications for Sustainable Development. A GenderInSITE Policy Brief
Get PDFThis policy brief considers the importance of applying a gender lens to innovation and sustainable development. It summarizes the key results of the workshop “Gender and Innovation: Implications for Sustainable Development”, held in Pretoria, South Africa, in September 2017. The workshop´s main objectives were to understand and advance the complex road from science to innovation; to explore the differential impact that innovation has on the lives of men and women, especially in terms of new technologies introduced in development programs; to understand the needs of scientific research and education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to support the development of gendered innovation; and to discuss how to bridge the gap between knowledge of STEM and gender issues, and those who need access to this knowledge for policy- and decision-making for effective implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Important outcomes of the workshop were that a gender perspective (1) leads to better
research and innovation in support of sustainable development; (2) provides a basis for an inclusive approach that addresses all forms of inequality; and (3) provides a basis for linking all SDGs. The value of these outcomes to the achievement of the SDGs in developing countries is underscored. In the last three decades, the way we look at gender equity and gender equality in science has changed radically; from viewing women as the main problem and suggesting initiatives that would enable individual women to attain the necessary qualifications to succeed in a scientific career to an understanding that diversity is central to scientific excellence and that institutional structural change is the only way of reaching gender equity in science. This shift in understanding is underpinned by a wealth of research and programs that have given us today a sound knowledge base as to how and why we should apply a gender lens to science and technology (S&T). Some challenges remain, however, and one of them is the understanding of women´s role in science and innovation for development and how this role can be supported by using science, technology and innovation (STI). Over many years, a parallel debate has evolved about the importance of S&T for development, but for many decades this was a genderblind discussion. It was only at the beginning of the twenty-first century that international organizations started factoring in gender as an important issue and highlighting the economic implications of not using the full scientific potential of a country. By focusing on innovation, the need for a gender lens, the importance of gendered innovations for sustainable development and their centrality to the attainment of the SDG targets, this policy brief aims at providing recommendations that are applicable to policy-makers in developing countries.Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida