Page 59 - VHSA - Onderstepoort 100 Years - Part 1

The National Tick Collection
The upgrading and modernization of the foot and mouth disease vaccine production facilities of the Exotic Diseases Division (EDD) has been a sore point for more than a decade, mainly because of the considerable cost involved. It was therefore a major achievement when Musoke obtained R55 million (ARC and DoA) for the upgrading and R18 million for running costs for the EDD, reflecting the importance of this facility for animal production in South Africa.
Funding was also obtained for an additional BSL3 laboratory to cater for research on dangerous pathogens 59 and for the building of a facility to house wild suidae for re-
search on African swine fever, a major scourge in most African countries.
ONDERSTEPOORT 100
In addition the DoA provides an extra R15 million for the two diagnostic contracts for disease surveillance and residue monitoring programmes.
For the first time the DoA also contri- buted funding towards the maintenance of National Assets, which include the National Tick Collection, the National Helminth Collection, various other scientific collections and the six OIE World Reference Laboratories.
Other important customers include OBP, the Ostrich Business Chamber, Gauteng Government, FAO, EU, Wellcome Trust, Glo- bal Alliances for Vaccines and medicine (GALVmed), Faculty of Veterinary Science and various commercial companies (e.g. Intervet).
As discussed above, the restructuring of the ARC in 2004 included the separation of responsibilities for research and for facilities. In terms of this decision an acting Manager, Research Facility (MRF), in the person of J. (Johan) Grobbelaar was appointed for the ARC- OVI. The MRF reports directly to the Group Executive: LBD at the ARC Head Office and collaborates on a matrix basis with the RTM. His responsibilities include all engineering and animal services as well as the computer centre. Under his guidance an extensive renovation programme of all the main buildings has been completed in view of the Onderstepoort centenary celebrations. He also chaired the organizing committee which included representatives of the Faculty, Onderstepoort Biological Products, Department of Agriculture and
“For the first time the DoA also contributed funding towards the maintenance of National Assets, which include the National Tick Collection, the National Helminth Collection, various other scientific collections and the six OIE World Reference Laboratories.“
Decline and recovery (1998-2008)
1908-2008
Years