The newly-established Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI) facility at Steve Biko Hospital in Pretoria has impressed President Cyril Ramaphosa, who visited the facility this week and acknowledged the number of women in key senior positions.
The facility, made possible by the Department of Science & Innovation, the Department of Health, and the University of Pretoria, was lauded by the President for its diversity, which he described as “impressive”.
It aims to advance drug development and clinical research, and provide cutting-edge diagnostics and treatment in cancer, TB and other major diseases burdening public health. Minister of Higher Education, Science & Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande called it “a one-stop-shop medical imaging facility dedicated to drug development and imaging-based clinical research”.
The unit is one of 13 such facilities established under the South African Research Infrastructure Roadmap, with the department investing R85m towards its establishment.
The President praised the diversity he saw on his visit. “One does not go to many places, particularly in the private sector, and see this type of diversity… and now here I see it in the public sector. This impresses me a lot, and has also touched Dr Aaron Motsoaledi. There are so many women here who are in senior key positions … that I find impressive.”
He also applauded Premier Panyaza Lesufi and the Health MEC for allocating the funds to make the technology possible, and complimented the CEO and staff.
“I was most impressed by the research being done here – this is how a hospital should be and how it should be managed,” he added.
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