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The First Eastern Cape Health Research Concil
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Health

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EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

ADDRESS BY MEC. FOR HEALTH DR. B. GOQWANA

AT THE OCCASION TO MARK THE FIRST EASTERN CAPE HEALTH RESEARCH COUNCIL

AT U.P.E.

20 AUGUST 1999.



It gives me great honour and pleasure to grace this occasion. I deliver this address not only in my capacity as the Member of the Executive 
Council for Health but as an enthusiast for the multi-disciplinarian approach to research.

I am also esteemed to be at the helm of such an exciting yet critical moment at this, a multi-pronged approach to our advances and 
development. The process towards the establishment of this forum has been long and wearisome and I wish to commend all those who played a 
role no matter how little in ensuring that today is finally a reality.

Let me also take this opportunity to thank the sponsors of this event Equity Project for their unwavering support and assistance with this-
A milestone in our country’s development. I thank you not just on behalf of my department, the government, tertiary institutions and other 
interested participants or stakeholders present.

I express my utmost gratitude on behalf of all current and future beneficiaries of progress that is to be reaped from the seeds of today’s 
proceedings. Your presence here is not unavailing but an investment into the future and uplifting of standards of mankind the world over.

The importance of research, particularly in the third world setting, will go a long way in ensuring that we are able to arrive at 
strategic, precise and concerted decision-making.

Health research is considered to be one of the fundamental cornerstones of Public Health. Research is critical for it answers important 
questions. It is also described as a tool for testing theories or hypothesis. Best research projects actually arise from routine and daily 
events. The problem mostly encountered by medical practitioners in our society today, however, is the identification and specification of 
the main themes of useful research projects that may impact directly on the community. This malaise is further aggravated by the obvious 
limitations in resources and available funds at our disposal.

Before proceeding further, it is interesting to note that the South African society has adopted a general misnomer notion on research. This 
probably stems from the previous legacies we went through. Many of our people perceive research to be a sophisticated procedure done by 
some weird and unpleasant qualified academic in some dingy office with an unnamed source for funding. It is assumed that this will lead to 
nine or more published papers in some obscured overseas journal or book that will ultimately end up gathering dust in some library shelve.

This is a lamentable destiny of some of our research but that should not be a deterrent or something to weaken our resolve.

That has to change and the sooner the better. It is for us all to steadfastly hold together and ensure that that is reduced to an ugly era 
of the past legacy. We are at a crossroads today and thus cannot afford to be dissuaded.

It also imperative that this kind of research is advanced and encouraged to be among the fore aspects of scientific development. It is out 
of research of this nature that the health or such related worker does his or her job more effectively and thus renders a cost-effective 
approach to the community.

Another critical aspect to note is balancing limited resources with the needs of the health research. This requires setting absolute and 
precise priorities. This precision, however, is made all more complicated by the fact that in spite of the limited budget, our department 
is inundated by various life-threatening aspects leading to ill-health, death and disability.

We have, nevertheless, defined our priority areas, namely;

1.  Providing services where none exist;

2.  Improving the maximisation of existing services;

3.  Upgrading services to meet all essential components of the Primary Health Care package; and

4.  Reducing the burden of the most common diseases such as Aids or HIV infection and Tuberculosis.

In conclusion, the process we are embarking upon here today is like a journey. In a journey the endeavour is to involve the entire voyage. 
Similarly, ours is to discover the solution to the realisation or discovery of the intervention methods. This journey is often lengthy and 
prolonged. The researchers, policy makers and program managers should all steadfastly hold firm in ensuring complementation towards 
success.

We are for the collective voyage. On behalf of the Premier and the Executive Council of the Eastern Cape I call upon you the academia of 
this province to deliver your utmost expertise, resolve and knowledge. It is with such humble beginnings that great strides and 
breakthroughs are realised.

May the journey be a smooth and fulfilling one".

THANK YOU

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