Universities play their part in tackling humanity’s challenges

FOR generations, universities and research institutions have played a key role in knowledge advancement and training aimed, in part at least, at tackling the challenges faced by humanity.

Governments provide these institutions with substantial funding to support research on behalf of the societies they represent, and it is expected that this research will generate some measure of societal impact in return.

The Covid-19 pandemic has put the spotlight on knowledge workers and research institutions and their role in developing solutions for societal challenges. At the same time, the pandemic has prompted an increase in collaborations across sectors and borders.

When it comes to defeating the novel coronavirus, the world shares the same agenda, setting aside questions of status and position in society.

Covid-19 has sparked a drive for scientific excellence, increased collaboration and bravery in the face of a global pandemic, and academics are among the many stakeholders who have stepped up to the challenge. In South Africa, academics are actively contributing in areas including treatment, drug discovery and development, data visualisation tools, manufacturing, science engagement, and education.

The decades that South Africa has spent fighting the world’s worst combined epidemic of tuberculosis(TB) and HIV could give the country an advantage when it comes to Covid-19.

Using this experience, a team from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and the South African National Bioinformatics Institute at the University of the Western Cape have successfully sequenced South Africa’s first Sars-CoV-2 genome.

This is a vital step in winning the war against the virus, as the sequenced genome provides a genetic “fingerprint” that can help scientists understand the spread of Covid-19, which can in turn help us to contain this spread.

South African scientists are also investigating the reported broad protection against respiratory infections, including Covid-19, that Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination may have, both in terms of morbidity (rate of infections) and mortality (death rate).

The Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) is working with various universities and research institutions to investigate the re-purposing of existing drugs to assist in treating the virus. Preliminary work on the development of a vaccine has also begun through UCT, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and Biovac.

Meanwhile, the South African National Space Agency is mobilising the country’s space sector to provide space-derived data and information to the various government departments and agencies involved in the national Covid-19 response.

Earth observation and data visualisation tools are being used to generate and analyse this data, which includes data on climate factors, population density, patterns of movement of people, and the location of communities at risk, especially in rural areas.

This information will assist with planning and decision-making regarding, for example, the deployment of medical workers for mass screening and testing.

Covid-19 has also prompted the establishment of a number of researchto-policy-to-practice platforms that bring together relevant government departments and researchers.

For instance, the government has set up a National Command Council on Covid-19 to co-ordinate the national response to the pandemic and enable rapid response systems to mitigate its impact.

Chaired by President Cyril Ramaphosa, the council comprises South African scientists and researchers as well as policy makers.

A team comprising Universities South Africa, the South African College Principals Organisation, and other higher education and health care experts has been set up to co-ordinate the education sector’s response to Covid-19.

At the same time, research on models for continued studies across the spectrum, from primary school to universities, is continuing. These models include the use of various online platforms for delivering educational content.

Looking ahead, the African continent should use the pandemic as a wake-up call to further invest in science, technology and innovation, as well as increase the impact of research and development on the advancement of society.

The degree to which localised data and solutions can be shared will help determine how effectively Africa responds to its challenges both now and in the future.

Catalytic initiatives through our governments, and science relationships with international partners, will be needed to enable us to address existing and emerging human developmental challenges.

Dr Mgwebi is deputy vicechancellor: research, innovation and internationalisation at Nelson Mandela University.