Health groups propose Christchurch projects

Groups planning to set up a graduate school of medicine and an international-standard health research organisation in Christchurch are seeking $1.2 million from the Christchurch City Council.

The Canterbury Medical Research Foundation is seeking almost a million dollars and the planned Health Research Organisation wants $220,000.They are seeking the money from the council's planned new capital endowment fund, and say their proposals promise major economic spin-offs for Christchurch.

The research foundation has plans for a health research fund and a graduate school of medicine. It proposes $330,000 go into a trust for each of the next three financial years, giving a total sum of almost $1 million to facilitate the development of a graduate medical school in 2004.

The foundation said the enhancement to Christchurch from the graduate entry medical programme would be comparable to that clearly demonstrated in Edinburgh, with a population of 400,000, and Bristol, with 230,000. Both of these cities benefit from billions of dollars from post-graduate medical activities, and medico-scientific inventions, and medical businesses.

The proposed Health Research Organisation, a joint venture of the Universities of Canterbury and Otago, has made a submission seeking seed funding of $220,000. This represents one-third of its first year's establishment, administration and operating costs of $665,000.

The HRO establishment board proposes an integrated approach to the establishment of the HRO, and believes it will provide many benefits to Christchurch. It said these would include the establishment of a high-profile organisation of international standing that would attract and retain world class research.

- CHRISTCHURCH STAR