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18 April 2019 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa | Photo Tshepang Mahlatsi
Next Chapter
UFS Next Chapter prioritises mental health of students.

The conversation themed Who helps the helpers? kicked off with Next Chapter founder and spokesperson, Tshepang Mahlatsi, explaining the diversity and defining factors of the world, which are divided into a number of outlining categories, namely religion, social class, ethnic race, gender, age, and many other crucial aspects.

Tshepang explained that mental health outstrips all man-made boundaries because of one thing that the human race has in common, namely each individual’s capabilities to deal with stress. 

This conversation zoomed in on mental health within the Faculty of Health Sciences and its career spectrum.  According to Tshepang, “It is only in emergencies and extreme situations that people recall the importance of mental health, due to the stigma that surrounds the topic”.

Representatives from the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Department of Student Development and Counselling assembled in Metro 7 of the James Moroka Building to discuss ways of addressing the question Who helps the helpers?

Next Chapter, in collaboration with the Faculty of Health Sciences, further launched a power hour where certified health professionals are given a platform to address and interact with Health Sciences students in a safe and free environment.

Tshepang explained that the initiative strives to start a culture and create a space where anyone dealing with a mental illnesses or issue does not feel ashamed to seek help.

 

News Archive

National Department of Health invests R53.5 million in UFS laboratory
2016-02-04

Description: Dr Derek Litthauer Tags: Dr Derek Litthauer

Dr Derek Litthauer
Photo: Supplied

This year has started off on a high note for Dr Derek Litthauer and his team at the South African National Control Laboratory (NCL) for Biological Products. The National Department of Health has awarded the NCL a contract to the value of R53.5 million to continue testing vaccines for the next three years.

Vaccines are biological medicines used to ensure healthy populations by preventing many diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that, worldwide, about 5.2 million children under six years old die annually. Of these deaths, 29% are vaccine preventable. Research has revealed that vaccines prevent about 6 million deaths each year globally. Safe and effective vaccines are essential public health tools, which are strictly regulated internationally. It is the NCL’s responsibility to perform quality control testing on all vaccines to be used on humans in South Africa.

This laboratory, the only one of its kind in Africa, receives samples of vaccines from manufacturers and importers for rigorous evaluation and testing. No vaccine may be used in South Africa without a release certificate issued by the Control Lab, certifying that the vaccine is suitable for human use.

The contract is a commitment to ensuring that only vaccines of the highest quality are used in South Africa.

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