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Expo promises to keep Bloemfontein healthy and fit

12 February 2020 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Supplied

UFS Health and Wellness Expo Programme

The University of the Free State (UFS) is on a mission to get Bloemfontein fit, in mind, body and soul. The UFS will host its first-ever Health and Wellness Expo on the Bloemfontein Campus from 20-21 February, targeting UFS staff and students as well as the broader Bloemfontein community.

The expo, organised by the Department of Human Resources’ Division for Organisational Development and Employee Wellness, will have four pillars that are underscored by the dimensions of wellness. “These four pillars will be exhibitions, medical screening tests, health talks and exercise sessions,” said Arina Engelbrecht, UFS Employee Wellness Specialist.

Staff, students and visitors will have the opportunity to explore a variety of stalls, learn new approaches of conquering health concerns and enhance their physical fitness and financial wellness, as well as nutrition. This year’s event features highlights such as Buti yoga, which combines jump training (plyometrics), tribal dancing and dynamic yoga asanas. This will be followed by fun, functional training with Ben Zwane, a fitness class suitable for all strength levels ranging from beginners to professional sports people. And if you are interested in a four or eight kilometre run or walk, both options will also be on offer.

Nurturing the Wellness Tree of Bloemfontein

According to Engelbrecht, the goal is to build awareness around the need to live a healthier and a more active life among staff and the broader community. “The expo aims to assist the community in gaining knowledge about various options to lead a healthier life,” she said.

With the theme: Shaping the Wellness Tree of Bloemfontein and granted that the benefits of living a healthier life have been well-researched and documented, the Division hopes the expo will encourage people to lead improved lives that lead to higher levels of engagement and productivity.

For more information contact Arina Engelbrecht at gesal@ufs.ac.za or on +27 83 644 9980.

News Archive

Researchers receive study grant for research into Congo Fever

2015-03-10

UFS researchers will be contributing significantly to the search for a vaccine against the deadly tick-borne disease known as Congo Fever.

Prof Felicity Burt from the Department of Medical Microbiology and Virology was recently awarded a research grant by the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) to study candidate vaccines for Crimean-Congo heamorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus and other arboviruses.

Arboviruses are viruses transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks, or other arthropods.

Prof Burt is an internationally-recognised expert on the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF). The Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus is a tick-borne virus that is associated with severe haemorrhagic disease in South Africa and other parts of Africa, Asia, and eastern Europe. Her interests focus on medically significant viruses that are transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes. Her research group is involved in determining the immune responses that are induced by different viral proteins.

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus, a tick- borne virus found in Africa, Asia, the Balkans, and eastern Europe, causes severe viral haemorrhagic fever outbreaks.

Although a number of tick species are capable of becoming infected with CCHF virus, ticks of the genus Hyalomma, commonly referred to in SA as the “bont-legged ticks”, are the principal vector. The ticks have distinctive brown and white bands on their legs.

In February 1981, the first case of CCHF was recognised in South Africa (SA). To date, there have been nearly 200 cases of CCHF infection in SA with a 20% fatality rate. The majority of cases occurring in SA were in patients from the Northern Cape and Free State provinces.

“The funding that has been awarded will be used to profile immune responses against CCHF viral proteins, and investigate mechanisms and strategies to enhance these immune responses. We hope that the study will contribute knowledge towards the development of a vaccine against this medically significant virus.”

For more information or enquiries contact news@ufs.ac.za.

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