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26 April 2018

 Description: 2018 Macah new Tags: Paediatrics, mother and child, healthcare, community, research, academic hospital, Free State.  

Rolene Strauss Patron of the MACAH Foundation, Oupa Mohoje,
Cheetahs rugby union player, and Kesa Molotsane
who are both champions of the MACAH Foundation.
Photo: Johan Roux

Description: 2018 new new MACAH Tags: Paediatrics, mother and child, healthcare, community, research, academic hospital, Free State.

From left is: Prof Gert van Zyl, MACAH Foundation’s founding
Director and Chairman; Khumo Selebano,
newly appointed Director; Dr Riana van Zyl founding director,
and Prof Andre Venter, Founding director and Project Leader.
Photo: Johan Roux



The Mother and Child Academic Hospital (Macah) Foundation was launched at the University of the Free State (UFS) on 24 April 2018. The foundation is instrumental in the building of a state-of-the-art academic hospital that will provide antenatal care and comprehensive health services for mothers, infants and children in Central South Africa. The hospital will be developed under a project in a partnership between UFS, Afrisky Holdings, and the Free State Department of Health, and will be located on the university’s Bloemfontein Campus but will be privately owned and operated.  

Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, said in his opening remarks this high-level partnership was a demonstration of the power of working together to implement innovation and development, promoting research and academic excellence, while serving communities that are most in need. “This project is possibly the first of its kind in South Africa. I am really proud that the UFS can be a part of it,” he said. 

Officials from the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality;  Deputy Director General of the Free State Department of Health, Mr Sekgothe Polelo; members of the UFS rectorate; senior academics in the Faculty of Health Sciences; Dr Rolene Strauss, former Miss World and patron of the Macah Foundation; as well Kesa Molotsane, athlete and UFS student, who is the new face of the Macah Foundation, as well as Oupa Mohoje, Springbok rugby player and captain of the Toyota Free State Cheetahs, who is also the face Macah Foundation among others, were present at the event. Prof Gert van Zyl, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, said the university had a pivotal role to play in shaping the future of children who are the future generation. “If we fail our children, we fail our future, our culture and our being,” he said.

The Macah Foundation’s “Make the first 1000 Days Count” programme emphasises the importance of childcare in the first 1000 days. By the age of five, almost 90% of a child’s brain will be developed. Therefore, it is vital that this period is well monitored to ensure the child grows to be a vigorous and happy individual. As nurturer, a mother’s health is just as significant from conception to birth and beyond. The R20-million programme is still in its early stages, but has already received great support.

Prof André Venter, one of the founding directors of Macah, and Head of Paediatrics and Child Health at the UFS Faculty of Health Sciences, said the success of the mother and child hospital was like a dream come true. 

“We have been working on this concept for seven years. It is a privilege for me to work with children, but more so when we can combine so many skills and expertise in developing a world-class facility that will help members of our communities to thrive.”

The foundation is growing steadily and its founding directors are calling on corporates, businesses, and individuals to support it through their influence, loyalty and financial means.

To find out more about the foundation and pledge your support, visit www.macahfoundation.org.za or send an email to Tertia de Bruin on debruintr@ufs.ac.za or  foundation@macahfoundation.org.za

News Archive

Agriculture must adapt to change
2008-11-28

 

At the launch of "50 years of agriculture" at the UFS were, from the left: Mr Corwyn Botha: Chairman: Agri Business Chamber and Managing Director: Cape Agri Group, Mr Motsepe Matlala, President of NAFU, Mr Hans van der Merwe, Executive Head: Agri SA, Prof. Herman van Schalkwyk: Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS, and Mr Sugar Ramakarane, Head: Department of Agriculture, Free State Province.
Photo: Lacea Loader
 “The biggest factor driving agriculture today is change. Our major challenge is to adapt to this changing environment.” This was stated by Prof. Herman van Schalkwyk, Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS) during the recent celebration of the faculty’s “50 years in agriculture”.

Prof. Van Schalkwyk stated that the most important changes include power relationships in supply chains, consumer demand, new products and technology in agriculture, government action and developments in neighbouring states. “At the moment there is very little cooperation between small-scale farmers, small-scale farmers and commercial farmers and farmers and processors. There are also low levels of processing, low levels of value adding and a lack of creative thinking in agriculture," he said.

“This must change – we need comprehensive agricultural support and new business ideas in agriculture. We need better infrastructure, value chain financing and improved institutional support,” he said.

Speaking about agriculture and institutional co-operation in the Free State, Mr Sugar Ramakarane, Chief Director of the Free State Department of Agriculture, said that the UFS plays a vital role in bringing together organised agriculture in the province. “The responsibility of transforming our economy cannot be done by government alone. We need partners like the UFS to assist us with bringing together the two most important stakeholders of the agricultural sector, namely the National Farmers’ Union (NAFU) and Free State Agriculture. You can assist us with harnessing co-operation and providing practical solutions," he said

Mr Ramakarane said that his department is aware of the university’s good work with emerging farmers. “But, I want to encourage the university to help us with skills transfer and the development of the emerging farmers. You can play a vital role in developing a mentorship programme. Yours remains a central and critical role of being torch bearers in guiding the transformation agenda of our country," he said.

In his contribution on the challenges of small scale farmers in South Africa and the role of the university, Mr Motsepe Matlala, President of NAFU, said that unity in organised agriculture and working together with other stakeholders has become even more crucial with regard to the global challenges now faced by the country. “The university should take the lead in guiding all farmers on how to respond to, among others, the global financial turmoil and politics, developments in trade negotiations, food prices, input costs and the availability of energy," he said.

“If the UFS, and more specifically the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, is to continue to play a leading role in academia as well as in the production of research that matters to the growth and development of this country, it must adopt an approach that seeks to harness the capacity of everyone in an inclusive manner. The strides already made in this regard must be applauded,” Mr Matlala said.

Speaking on the future challenges in agriculture and the role of universities, Mr Hans van der Merwe, Executive Head of Agri SA said that South Africa has not spent money on agricultural development in a long time. “We must increase our product capacity in the agricultural sector. Universities must focus on cultivating enough expertise and the skills necessary to manage the resources and capacity needed," he said. In his view, South Africa must also focus on technological advancement in agriculture as this has also been neglected in the past. He urged universities to provide best-practice education and to look at international trends in agricultural training. “That is why we should not only focus our attention on South Africa, but on southern Africa,” Mr van der Merwe said.

In conclusion to the day’s programme, Mr Corwyn Botha, Chairperson of the Agricultural Business Chamber, Managing Director of the Cape Agri Group and former Kovsie stated that: “If you want to be an example of leadership, people around you must do better because you are there. A university should evaluate itself in this context. You cannot create solutions to problems with the same attitude in which the problems were created."

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za  
28 November 2008
 

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