Africa-Press – Namibia. THE National Commission on Science Research and Technology (NCSRT) is collaborating with Mozambique on a research project on how to apply indigenous knowledge to deal with three infectious diseases in Mozambique and Namibia.
The project entitled, ‘Application of indigenous knowledge in the management of infectious diseases (malaria, tuberculosis and Covid-19) in Manica and Tete provinces of Mozambique and in the Zambezi region of Namibia”, is being implemented with funding from the Science Granting Council Initiative (SGCI).
Globally, Covid-19 has negatively impacted the economies of many countries due to travel restrictions and lockdowns.
The manager for the Human Development, Science and Technology Promotion Division at NCSRT, Angelique Philander, says the project was funded through the second funding phase of SGCI.
According to the project’s documents provided to The Namibian yesterday, in Mozambique the project is being implemented by the University of Pungu, with the Dismalta dos Santos Fernando Miquitaio from the university’s faculty of agrarian and biological science as the project’s principal investigator.
In Namibia, the project is being implemented by the University of Namibia with Charwan Iwanette du Preez from the University’s Multidiscplinary Research Centre as the project’s principal investigator.
The objective of the project, according to the document, is to identify and map out native medicinal plants used in phytotherapy for malaria, tuberculosis and Covid-19, to describe and develop methodologies for the preparation procedures and uses of native medicinal plants used in phytotherapy for the infectious diseases based on indigenous knowledge in communities.
Other objectives are to promote collaboration opportunities between researchers and traditional healers and the industry and to develop herbal remedies for commercialisation.
The senior programme officer at NCRST, Luiza Ndapewa Mazarire, told The Namibian yesterday that SGCI funded Namibia’s part of the project with N$715 878 (US$48 076) while Mozambique was funded by the initiative with 2,5 million MT (US$39 167).
Mazarire said the project is running from 8 November 2021 to 28 February 2023, but there have been delays due to contract signing. “Mozambique started earlier,” she said.
Tuberculosis and malaria are the two common infectious diseases in resource-limited countries, and controlling them has been worsened by the emergence of resistance to therapies.
SGCI is a five-year initiative that is being implemented in 15 sub-Saharan Africa, including Namibia. It is aimed at strengthening capacities of the Science-Granting Councils in the region such as Namibia’s NCRST, in order to support research and evidence-based policies that would contribute to economic and social development.
Established in 2013, NCRST’s vision is to facilitate the development of research, science and innovation towards socio-economic development for Namibia by 2022.
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