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Fighting COVID-19: Here is how we are helping

16 April 2020 | Story Department of Communication and Marketing | Photo Charl Devenish

Farmovs — In 2019, FARMOVS was pre-qualified by the WHO to support clinical studies aimed at improving access to quality generic medicines across the globe.

The University of the Free State (UFS) is committed to supporting government’s efforts to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. During this challenging time, dedicated staff members at the UFS continue to provide services as a testimony to their commitment to advance public knowledge of COVID-19 for the greater good of South Africa.

The following is a synopsis of the areas in which the UFS is actively assisting.

Public Health Emergency Solidarity Trial
Clinicians from the Department of Internal Medicine, the Department of Critical Care, and the Division of Virology will be working with FARMOVS to participate in the Public Health Emergency Solidarity Trial initiated by the World Health Organization (WHO). This international randomised trial will evaluate four treatment options (remdesivir, lopinavir/ritonavir, lopinavir/ritonavir plus interferon, chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine) for the treatment of COVID-19.

The trial is expected to include more than 45 countries worldwide, including a number of South African sites.

Farmovs
FARMOVS is in a planning process to support all the Bloemfontein hospitals, including Pelonomi, Universitas, 3 Military Hospital, Mediclinic, and Rosepark, in conducting the largest global trial on COVID-19 – the Public Health Emergency Solidarity Trial, under leadership of the WHO.

Negotiations are ongoing between the UFS and the Department of Health in the Free State for FARMOVS to offer support with the continuation of healthcare to non-COVID-19 patients in an attempt to free up space at Universitas Hospital for isolation of COVID-19 patients.

In 2019, FARMOVS was pre-qualified by the WHO to support clinical studies aimed at improving access to quality generic medicines across the globe. FARMOVS also receives feasibility requests for support with the evaluation of existing drugs (repurposing) as well as the development of novel drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 – this is an ongoing process.

Disaster Management Training and Education Centre (DiMTEC)
DiMTEC represents the UFS on the Provincial Joint Operation Centre (PROVJOC). The PROVJOC is a fully equipped, dedicated facility that is proactively established to enable all relevant role players /disciplines to jointly manage all safety and security-related aspects of any planned event or any major incident which has occurred or is imminent – especially in the response and recovery operations phase – at the strategic and/or tactical level, using the Unified Command System. This facility is also linked to all other established safety and security centres.

Research and Innovation
The UFS hosts a SARChI Research Chair in vector-borne and zoonotic diseases, and recently invested in the establishment of a biosafety level-3 facility. Hence, there is expertise on the campus to plan and conduct research on zoonotic and medically significant viruses. In addition, there are research groups focusing on protein expression systems with potential for utilisation in the development of diagnostic assays with application in either diagnosis or surveillance.

Currently, researchers at the UFS have established several projects that will contribute directly towards the COVID-19 outbreak.

News Archive

Sport results: Tennis, Netball, badminton, athletics

2009-05-05

During the Mega-intervarsity Tournament held at Sun City last week, both the University of the Free State’s (UFS) men’s and women’s tennis teams beat their opponents. The Kovsies women’s team beat the Pukke 15-0, Tukkies 15-1 and Maties 12-5. The Kovsies men’s team beat their respective opponents as follows: Maties A 12-6, Maties B 15-0, Pukke A 9-7, Tukkies A 14-1 and Pukke B 15-0. Janine de Kock from KovsieSport said that she was satisfied with these achievements. “For the past two years the women have won the University Sports South Africa (USSA) tournament and now again this tournament. What makes this achievement special is the fact that it was the first tournament that four of the women’s team members played for the UFS.” “I am also very satisfied with the achievements of the men’s team. They ended sixth in last year’s USSA tournament. This year, at a tournament where the top four universities in terms of tennis were present, they won,” said Janine.
	Rensia Henning in action during the Mega-intervarsity Tournament that took place at Sun City last week. Photos: Jeanine de Kok
Netball: Hard work gets rewarded - (April 2009) Three Kovsies were selected from the South African National Netball team to the Senior Top 12 Team that will represent South Africa at the SPAR Challenge, a three nation’s test series against Botswana and Fiji. These matches will take place towards the end of May in Pretoria. The three students are Elzet Engelbrecht, Maryka Holtzhausen, en Adele Niemand. Kovsie students compete at badminton championships One former student from the University of the Free State (UFS) Chris Dednam, and one current Kovsie student Annari Viljoen are included in the National Badminton Team that represented South Africa from 17 to 24 April 2009 at the All Africa Badminton Championships in Nairobi, Kenya. They also participated in the Kenya International Championships from 25 to 27 April 2009. Chris Dednam and Annari Viljoen and with them Roelof Dednam, also a former Kovsie student, were included in the team that will participate at the Sudirman Cup in Guangzhou, China. The Sudirman Cup that will take place from 10 to 17 May 2009 is the world mixed team badminton championship and takes place every two years. Kovsie athletes win medals Kovsie athletes excelled at the South African Students Athletics Championships (USSA) that was held in Stellenbosch by winning a total of 15 medals. The medal winners are: Gold: Thuso Mpuang for the 200m, Johan Cronjè for the 1 500m, Maryna Swanepoel for the half marathon and Marizette Badenhorst for hammer throw. Silver: Thuso Mpuang for the 100m, Johan Cronjè for the 5 000m, Charles le Roux for triple jump, Ronè Reynecke for the 800m, and Abongile Lerotholi for 1 500m. Bronze: Kagisho Kumbane for 100m and 200m, Boy Soke for half marathon, Charles le Roux for long jump, Thandi Malindi for the 3 000m steeple chase, and Marike Steyn for triple jump. In the team competition the Kovsie men’s team received third place and the women’s team fourth place.

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