The Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI) centre, located within the premises of Steve Biko Academic Hospital (SBAH) in Pretoria, has significantly elevated the hospital's standing in the field of nuclear medicine and research across Africa. The NuMeRI facility, worth half a billion rand, is part of the Department of Science and Technology's South African Research Infrastructure Roadmap (SARIR) and is a one-stop-shop medical nuclear imaging and therapeutic facility dedicated to drug development and clinical research for the benefit of the South African, African and global health-care sectors.
Additionally, local drug researchers, medical practitioners and foreign colleagues will benefit from NuMeRI. The facility's primary goal is to enable research, innovation and value creation in areas where countries and regions face unique health issues. The NuMeRI centre will provide services such as a clinical unit, radiopharmacy, fundamental and translational research, preclinical imaging, node-of-infection imaging, medical physics and a radiobiology unit.
Professor Mike Sathekge stated that the futuristic infrastructure will improve the quality of life, lengthen the lifespan, and increase the overall survival of cancer patients using radiopharmaceuticals.
During Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko's visit to the NuMeRI centre on Thursday, she stated that the facility's establishment marks a significant milestone in the field of nuclear medicine, pushing the boundaries of what was previously thought to be impossible.
“We are currently in a position to conduct clinical trials that will help in the development and access to innovative treatments for difficult-to-treat illnesses.
“Its presence not only improves medical skills in Gauteng but also increases the province's status as a leader in health-care innovation and excellence,” she said.
The MEC added that the department is really proud to have an innovative facility at one of the most renowned hospitals, such as SBAH.
"This facility will improve the quality of health care not only in South Africa, but across the African continent. This occurs at a time when the country is waiting for the President to sign the National Health Insurance Bill into law, paving the way for the phased implementation of the National Health Insurance, which will result in significant changes in terms of equity and access within the health care system," explained MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko.