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11 August 2021 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied
Dr Gladys Kigozi believes that the challenges South African women are facing, including sexism, gender-based violence, and food insecurity, are no different from what has been seen for a long time across the rest of the African continent.

There is compelling evidence linking tuberculosis (TB) and mental health disorders. Research has indicated an increased likelihood of unfavourable treatment outcomes among TB patients with undiagnosed mental health disorders. This is according to Dr Gladys Kigozi, Senior Researcher in the Centre for Health Systems Research and Development in the Faculty of the Humanities at the University of the Free State (UFS). 

Dr Kigozi is the principal investigator of a collaborative project to explore TB patients’ experiences of depression, anxiety, and alcohol abuse. She believes the work that she is part of will inform health-care providers and policy makers’ views on the management of TB patients with comorbid common mental disorders in South Africa.

She is also playing a key role in a collaborative project that explores the well-being of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic (second wave). “The research found that both public and private sector nurses countrywide are experiencing high levels of post-traumatic stress disorder, fuelled by fear of contracting the virus. This is linked to their jobs as health workers and patients’ non-adherence to infection prevention guidelines,” says Dr Kigozi. 

Her primary area of research is the social aspects of TB and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). She is involved in various aspects of health, health systems, and health-care research.

“My research is increasingly being recognised for its contribution to local and international TB-HIV literature. I have authored and co-authored one book chapter and 37 peer-reviewed journal publications and presented papers at 40 national and international conferences. My work has been cited 655 times by fellow researchers across the world, and currently, my Google Scholar h-index is 14. I also hold a Y2 National Research Foundation rating, awarded in 2017,” says Dr Kigozi, who believes her biggest quest to be the advancement of her scholarship by undertaking quality research.

During an interview, she moves away from the work she is doing as scientist and tells us about the role her mother is playing in her life, the challenges South African women face, and the value of hard work. 

Believing in myself, reaching for the stars without compromising my integrity, and upholding others along the way, makes me a woman of quality, impact, and care. - Dr Gladys Kigozi

Is there a woman who inspires you and who you would like to celebrate this Women’s Month, and why?

Dr Kigozi says her late mother, who always highlighted the importance of two characteristics – integrity and trust – inspired her a great deal. “I still believe in and apply these values in my work as a health systems researcher,” she says.

Her mother also encouraged her to share her ideas, beliefs, and values with others, because she is convinced that intellectual discourse is vital for personal and community development.

Very importantly, she also taught me the value of prayer, saying that “it always pays off,” adds Dr Kigozi. 

What is your response to current challenges faced by women and available platforms for women development?

The current challenges South African women are facing, including sexism, gender-based violence, and food insecurity, are no different from what has been seen for a long time across the rest of the African continent, remarks Dr Kigozi. 

“A specific challenge I wish to address, relates to (black) women's marginalisation and ‘invisibility’ in general decision-making, and more specifically, policy making and the implementation of policy.”

She believes these challenges could be attributed to, inter alia, restrictive laws and cultural practices, organisational hurdles, and the lack of access to quality education, health care, and other important resources. 

Dr Kigozi is of the opinion that one possible solution that would help to reverse some of these challenges, will be to establish appropriate support systems for women, including, but not limited to, workplace policy reforms, mentorship programmes, and peer-to-peer support networks.

What advice would you give to the 15-year-old you?

“If I knew then what I know now, I would have advised my 15-year-old self to ‘bereka mosali’, meaning ‘work, girl child’ in Sesotho,” says Dr Kigozi. 

She is, however, very proud of her achievements and accomplishments, and maintains that a little more effort on top of what one does every day, ‘always pays off.’

What would you say makes you a woman of quality, impact, and care?

“I would say that believing in myself, reaching for the stars without compromising my integrity, and upholding others along the way, makes me a woman of quality, impact, and care,” concludes Dr Kigozi. 

News Archive

UV vestig hom afgelope eeu as leier op verskeie terreine
2004-05-11

Michelle O'Connor - Volksblad - 11 Mei 2004

Ondank terugslae nou 'n 'gesonde volwassene'

HOEWEL die Universiteit van die Vrystaat (UV) vanjaar sy eeufees vier en met 23 000 studente die grootste universiteit in die sentrale deel van die land is, was dié instelling se geboorte glad nie maklik nie. MICHELÉ O'CONNOR het met prof. Frederick Fourie, rektor, oor die nederige begin van dié instelling gesels.

DIE behoefte aan 'n eie universiteit in die Vrystaat het reeds in 1855, kort ná die stigting van Grey-kollege, kop uitgesteek.

Grey se manne het hulleself teen 1890 begin voorberei om die intermediêre B.A.-eksamens af te lê. Dié eksamen het hulle toegang gegee tot die tweede jaar van 'n B.A.-graad aan die destydse University of the Cape Good Hope, nou die Universiteit van Kaapstad.

"Presidente F.W. Reitz en M.T. Steyn het destyds albei die stigting van 'n universiteit hier bepleit. Die grootste rede was sodat die seuns van die Vrystaat nie weggestuur word nie.

"Dié twee se droom is op 28 Januarie 1904 bewaarheid toe ses studente hulle onder dr. Johannes Bril, as hoof/rektor van Grey-kollege, vir die graad B.A. ingeskryf het. Dié graad is aanvanklik deur die Kaapse universiteit toegeken.

"Net die klassieke tale soos Latyns en Grieks, die moderne tale, Nederlands, Duits en Engels, filosofie, geskiedenis, wiskunde, fisika, chemie, plant- en dierkunde is aanvanklik aangebied.

"Die UV se geboue het gegroei van 'n klein tweevertrek-geboutjie wat nou naby Huis Abraham Fischer staan, en verblyf in die Grey-kollege se seunskoshuis," sê Fourie.

Volgens hom is die universiteit se eerste raad en senaat tussen 1904 en 1920 saamgestel. Die eerste dosente is aangestel en die eerste geboue opgerig. "Dié tyd was egter baie moeilik.

"Die instelling het teen 1920 net 100 studente gehad en was geldelik in die knyp. Daar was geen vaste rektor nie en geen vooruitgang nie. Vrystaatse kinders is steeds na ander universiteite gestuur.

"Ds. J.D. Kestell, rektor van 1920 tot 1927, het egter dié instelling finaal gevestig.

"Hy het self studente van oor die hele Vrystaat gewerf en geld by onder meer kerke en banke ingesamel. Kestell het selfs Engelse ouers oortuig om hul kinders na die Greyuniversiteitskollege (GUK) te stuur en teen 1927 het dié instelling met 400 studente gespog.

"In die tydperk tussen 1927 en 1950 het die GUK weer verskeie terugslae beleef.

"In dié tyd was dit onder meer die Groot Depressie en die Tweede Wêreldoorlog. Die armblanke-vraagstuk het regstreeks op studente en dosente ingewerk en die politieke onderstrominge van dié tyd het die instelling ontwrig.

"Die GUK het egter oorleef en die Universiteitskollege van die Oranje-Vrystaat (UKOVS) is in 1935 gebore," sê Fourie.

Hy sê in dié tyd is verskeie fakulteite gevestig en teen 1950 het die UKOVS met 1 000 studente gespog.

Teen 1950 het dit 'n onafhanklike universiteit geword en die naam is verander na die Universiteit van die OranjeVrystaat (UOVS).

Dié tydperk is gekenmerk deur Afrikaner- en blanke selfvertroue en heerskappy. Studentegetalle het tot 7 000 in 1975 gegroei en heelwat vooruitgang het in dié tyd plaasgevind.

"Tussen 1976 en 1989 sukkel dieuniversiteit weer met onder meer ekonomiese krisisse, die land se politieke onstabiliteit en word die UOVS geï soleer.

"Een ligpunt in dié tyd is die toelating van die eerste swart studente, die nuwe Sasol-biblioteek en die fakulteit teologie wat die lig sien.

"Tussen 1990 en vanjaar het die UOVS verskeie op- en afdraandes beleef. Die universiteit doen nie net die eerste stappe van transformasie nie, maar begin ook aan 'n beleid van multikulturaliteit werk.

"Die UOVS se naam verander in 1996 na die Universiteit van die Vrystaat/University of the Free State en in 2001 word die Sotho-vertaling bygevoeg.

"Geldelike druk en probleme neem drasties toe en personeel word gerasionaliseer.

"Teen 2000 begin die UV met 'n draaistrategie en studentegetalle neem tot meer as 23 000 toe," sê Fourie.

Hy sê die UV het die afgelope eeu nie net verskeie terugslae oorleef nie, maar homself ook op verskeie gebiede as 'n leier gevestig.

Die universiteit behaal sy eie geldelike mikpunte, neem 'n nuwe taalbeleid van veeltaligheid aan en herbelê in personeel.

Die instelling inkorporeer die kampusse van die Vista- en Qwaqwa-universiteit en groei internasionaal.

Die UV vestig ook fondamente van 'n institusionele kultuur van verdraagsaamheid, geregtigheid en diversiteit.

"Die baba het in die afgelope eeu 'n gesonde volwassene geword."

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