Latest News Archive
Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
20 December 2021
|
Story Igno van Niekerk
|
Photo Igno van Niekerk
![]()
Dr Samantha Potgieter, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Internal Medicine and Dr Nicholas Pearce, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Surgery comment on their team members’ commitment and determination during the pandemic.
On the forefront of the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, two UFS doctors are leading a team of inspired healthcare workers in a superhuman effort to make a positive difference.
With the pandemic in its second year and the recurring challenges of new waves and strains consistently in the news, one would expect the doctors to be tired. However, quite the opposite is true. Upon entering the office where Dr Samantha Potgieter, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Internal Medicine and Dr Nicholas Pearce, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Surgery are in a meeting with colleagues, the debate is vibrant; an energetic sense of mission.
Miraculously succeeded
My brief is to collect stories and experiences they’ve had over the past 18 months at the Tumelo ward for general and high-care patients, where the team has miraculously succeeded in not running out of oxygen or ventilators, despite handling high volumes of patients from the Free State and Northern Cape. “We saw those pictures of piled-up bodies in Italy. We were committed to avoiding that at all costs. And we did.”
Success stories? First mentioned are their team members’ commitment and determination. The team had to stand in when families could not support dying patients. “They did not die alone. Our team was there.”
“Really sad and frustrating are the deaths that could have been prevented. Unvaccinated patients. They arrive ill, wanting to know if they can get it. Too late...” – Dr Nicholas Pearce
Then came hope
Sad stories? The past year has had its share of sad stories. “Someone comes in during the morning, needs oxygen, in the afternoon they are in ICU, then ventilator – and then they die. We’ve never faced anything like this before.”
Then came hope. Vaccines. Dr Pearce is in charge of the vaccination site at Universitas Hospital. “Really sad and frustrating are the deaths that could have been prevented. Unvaccinated patients. They arrive ill, wanting to know if they can get it. Too late ...” He opens his cell phone – shares the stats. “We can handle 2 000 vaccinations a day. At the moment about 250 comes in.” He shakes his head.
“We can beat this virus, but we need to stand together ...”
Kovsie overturns 60-year tradition at karate championships
2010-05-06
 |
Bruno Schalbach.
Photo: Supplied |
|
Bruno Schwalbach, a first-year accounting student at the University of the Free State (UFS) returned home with a gold medal after his victory at the men’s open karate division at the South African JKA Championships that were recently held in Johannesburg.
According to Dr Pieter le Roux, Main Coach at the Kovsie Karate Club and also attached to the UFS’s Department of Soil- and Crop- and Climate Sciences, this is a truly remarkable achievement. Bruno is the first competitor from outside Johannesburg, in the past sixty years, who took this title home. What makes this achievement even more special is that Bruno has already won gold in his first year after leaving school.
Bruno, a third dan in karate, who has a string of international victories under his belt, as well as full Protea colours in Karate, is also an instructor at the Kovsie Karate Club.
Since 1964 the Kovsie Karate Club has produced 28 Proteas. This was also one of the most successful clubs that participated in the championships, because it was members of this club that walked off the two most important trophies at these championships. |