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SABRI
The
South African Brain Research Institute
Annual
Report for 2010 - 2011
ãLeading
substance abuse authority looking at the possibility of researching PAN in UK
ãChinese
interest in nicotine addiction treatment
ãAnglo-American’s
Chairman’s Fund sees the potential of SABRI’s PAN treatment and again provide funding
South
African Brain Research Institute
Incorporated association not
for gain
Reg No 1982/000063/08
PBO No 18/11/13/2888
Fund Raising No 001-356 NPO
Telephone (011) 786-2912
Fax
(011) 786-1766 E-mail: mag@sabri.org..za
Website www.sabri.org.za
BENEFICIARY
OF: NATIONAL LOTTERY DISTRIBUTION TRUST
On
the positive side and after a number of years, our founding sponsor,
Anglo-American Chairman’s Fund has again come on board to assist with SABRI’s
funding. They believe that SABRI’s Capacity Building Project has the potential
to make a major contribution to South African healthcare in both the private
and public sectors.
SABRI struggles to introduce
the psychotropic analgesic nitrous oxide (PAN) therapy into the public hospital
sector in
One of the most
disheartening aspects is that the lack of foresight and obstruction has usually
originated from the determined mindless opposition of medically qualified
personnel who are unable to grasp the fact that a home-grown South African
medical discovery has any value. Of course, there have been a number of
exceptions, but these are few in number indeed. One of these exceptions is Dr
Emeka Ezenwugo, who until recently was the medical superintendent of Letaba
Hospital in in Limpopo. Although he had to fight opposition from both medical
and administrative staff of his hospital, he engaged the CEO of SABRI to introduce
the therapy to his hospital. Dr Ezenwugo could visualise the benefit of the
PAN, but also understands (through personal experience) the difficulties of
moving the PAN forward into the public sector.
Another example comes from
the private sector viz., Dr Brian Brink Group Medical Consultant at
Anglo-American, who believes that the use of PAN could be one of the most
important primary health initiatives not only for
Apart from PAN’s use in
rural settings, many thousands of people have benefited from the PAN therapy,
in
SOUTH AFRICAN PROGRESS
Professor Gillman continues to train undergraduate and
postgraduate health professionals at the
PAN
for treating nicotine addiction funded by the South African Dental Association
(SADA), the South African Medical Association (SAMA) and Afrox was published on 7 December 2010, by Cerebrum Publishers.
As has
been the case for the last few years and since it is the main thrust of SABRI’s
outreach project, a short outline of SABRI’s
Psychotropic
Analgesic Nitrous oxide (PAN) for Hospital & Primary Health Care Centres
for Minor Surgery and Acute
Addictive Withdrawal
States
Substance abuse
is a chronic, devastating and debilitating disease, with serious social,
psychological, economic and physical implications for the individual and the
community. For instance, HIV-AIDS transmission is increased by the risk- taking
behaviour associated with substance abuse and the progression of the disease is
also increased because substance abuse compromises the immune system and
decreases compliance with anti-retroviral medications.
The problem of
substance abuse is greater than ever before, hence the need for more effective treatments.
The Project
1) Health professionals from organisations
will be trained to administer PAN to enhance and complement treatment that they
provide to substance abusers, hence facilitating recovery. Recovery is positive
for the individual and society, including the prevention of HIV transmission
and increasing the survival of those already infected.
2) All who are trained will also be able
to administer PAN in the identical manner at the same healthcare centre to
relax patients and control pain during minor surgery, avoiding costly hospital
admissions and general anaesthetics.
What is PAN?
PAN is the use of nitrous
oxide (laughing gas) and oxygen to successfully treat addiction. This treatment
is unique in S.A. Medical History being the first therapy officially recognised
by the medical authorities, which had been wholly conceptualised, researched
and developed in
Although counselling,
support groups and other interventions are extremely important, these alone are
often insufficient to break the physical and psychological dependence on drugs
such as alcohol, cannabis (dagga), benzodiazepines (Valium, Librium, etc.),
cocaine, heroin, methaqualone (Mandrax) and nicotine.
Withdrawal symptoms and
craving following abstinence from these drugs weakens the will of even the strongest
person trying to ‘kick’ the habit, making them very susceptible to relapse. On
average, 90% of substance abusers relapse and begin reusing within days or
months of being detoxified (i.e. removal of offending drug from the patient’s
system); largely due to craving. These repeated detoxifications put great
pressure on our already overcrowded hospitals.
The PAN treatment offers a
medically proven, cost-effective and safe tool for breaking the cycle of
addiction. Those treated with PAN can continue being economically and socially
active. The care-givers, who often themselves are discouraged
by relapses, and the community, will have a powerful, readily available and
accessible means of combating substance abuse and relapse prevention. PAN has
an unrivalled safety record and can be used over the short period needed without
harm.
A trained nurse using PAN
can treat patients inexpensively as outpatients, without direct physician
supervision, avoiding costly hospital admissions. Apart from substance abuse,
she/he can also undertake minor surgical procedures. Hospital bed-occupations, average
R1255 per day and withdrawal treatments require at least 3 days. The PAN therapy avoids at least 90% of
inpatient detoxification therapies, as shown wherever it has been introduced. Together
with the savings if PAN is also substituted for general anaesthetics for minor
surgery, a small investment i.e. R150 000, for each site, will result in
savings of 2.15 million Rand per site/per annum in unnecessary bed occupations
and medical personnel costs for surgery and detoxifications.
The necessary equipment is
commercially available and can be installed within days of payment. A new site can be fully operational within 6
weeks of equipment installation.
SABRI'S
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS
One of the other highlight of SABRI’s activities this year
was the publication of the CEO’s book Treating Nicotine Dependence with Nitrous
Oxide/Oxygen (PAN). As a courtesy, a copy of the book was sent to Professor
Morris Clark of the
Professor
David Nutt, who until recently was the scientific advisor to the British
Government on substance abuse, has also expressed interest in researching
PAN.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
SABRI acknowledges
with thanks, all those who have helped to ensure another successful year for
SABRI. We are sad to say that Mr Simon Maduna has had to leave the Board of
SABRI for reasons of ill-heath. Ms Bridgett Schultz has kindly agreed to take
his place. We would also like to express our deepest gratitude to Mr E Maduna
for his fine work over the year under review. Last but certainly not least, we
wish to thank our distinguished donors for their continued support.
Professor Mark A
Gillman
Chief Executive
Officer