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28 June 2019 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa
UFS Thought Leader series
The 2019 UFS Thought-Leader Series explores techniques of renewal and solutions for economic growth and entrepreneurship as an instrument of development for South Africa.

The University of the Free State (UFS), in cooperation with Vrye Weekblad, will present the second consecutive Thought-Leader Series as part of the Vrystaat Arts Festival on Thursday 4 July in the Economic and Management Science Auditorium (EBW Auditorium) on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus.

As a higher-education institution, the UFS deems itself responsible for contributing to local and national public discourses by assembling industry experts to deliberate on imperative topics that affect students, the broader community, and the country in one way or another. 

Topic of discussion for 2019 Thought-leader series 

In 2019, the UFS Thought-Leader series unpacks Economic Growth and Entrepreneurship for a Growing South Africa in the form of two concentrated panel discussions which will address the questions, ‘How can we fix the South African economy and create jobs?’ and ‘How can we establish a pro-youth entrepreneurship strategy for South Africa?’ respectively.

Expert panellists to discuss economic growth and entrepreneurship

Editor of the Vrye Weekblad, Max du Preez, will be facilitating discussions between panellists. The following panellists will participate in the first panel: Executive Director at the Centre for Politics and Research and political commentator, Prince Mashele; Vice-Dean (Strategic Projects) of the UFS Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, Prof Philippe Burger; Director and Chief Economist at the Efficient Group, Dawie Roodt; and Chief Economist at Investec, Annabel Bishop.  

Chief Executive Officer at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, Maryana Iskander; Senior Banker at the Rand Merchant Bank, David Abbey; and Head of the UFS Department of Business Management, Prof Brownhilder Neneh, will form part of the second panel. 

Details about the event:

Date: 4 July 2019

Time: 10:00
Panel 1: How can we fix the South African economy and create jobs?’ 

Time: 12:00
How can we establish a pro-youth entrepreneurship strategy for South Africa?’ 

Venue: Economic and Management Sciences Auditorium (EMS Auditorium), UFS Bloemfontein Campus

More information: +27 51 401 3422 or news@ufs.ac.za
 

News Archive

UFS to monitor the use of ARV-drugs on pregnant women and children
2004-12-08

The University of the Free State (UFS) is to establish a Pharmacovigilance Centre that will monitor the effects of Anti-Retroviral (ARV) drugs on HIV positive pregnant women and children starting early in the new year.

The UFS is one of only two institutions chosen by the Minister of Health, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, to establish such an ARV monitoring centre.

The other centre will be based at Medical University of South Africa (MEDUNSA) and will concentrate mainly on monitoring the effects of the drugs on adults.

“The establishment of the UFS’s Pharmaconvigilance Centre forms part of government’s Comprehensive Plan on HIV and AIDS, often termed the roll-out plan for ARV drugs. The centre’s primary responsibility will be to specifically monitor the use of these drugs in pregnant women, and children under the age of 13,” said Prof Andrew Walubo of the UFS’s Department of Pharmacology.

“Although most of the side effects of ARV drugs have been identified in other countries, it has now become critical to identify the side effects amongst the South African population. This is important because many people will be exposed to the drugs within a short time. Our aim is so identify the most common side effects and make recommendations for the prevention thereof. The centre will help in detecting the risk of using anti-retroviral drugs in pregnancy and children, and prevention of adverse drug reactions,” said Prof Walubo.

According to Prof Walubo 12 drugs will be monitored – these drugs will be selected according to the patient’s profile.

The centre will comprise of two components: A pregnancy registry, which will focus on a new-born child up until two months and a pediatric registry, which will focus on children who are born of mothers who used ARV drugs and children using ARV drugs.

According to Prof Walubo, the Pharmaconvigilance Centre will also be responsible for offering relevant technical advice, training and selected research on ARV drugs in these patients.

The centre will be fully sponsored by the national Department of Health. It will be based in the UFS’s Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Pharmacology, and will be run in collaboration with experts from different departments in the faculty.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
8 December 2004

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