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20 December 2021
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Story Igno van Niekerk
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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 ...”
It's almost time for Rag procession 2012
2012-01-25
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| This year Rag is bigger and better. |
This year’s Kovsie Rag of our universities Bloemfontein Campus promises to stand out head and shoulders above all previous years.
Kovsie Rag and Kovsie Community Service joined hands and is now known as Kovsie Rag Community Service.
For this reason, during this year’s Rag Procession in Heidedal and Mangaung, Kovsie Rag Community Service will distribute food parcels in this community.
The processions in Heidedal and Mangaung will both take place on Saturday 28 January 2012 at 10:00.
In Heidedal participants in the Rag Procession will distribute food parcels at the Twin City Shopping Centre and in Mangaung food parcels will be distributed at the Kenilworth Shopping Centre.
The programme for the Rag Procession is also well underway and first-years are eagerly building floats for this year’s Rag Procession on Saturday 28 January 2012
At 18:00 the main procession will start from the UFS and move to the final destination at Old Greys where DJ Black Coffee and Die Heuwels Fantasties will perform.
For the first time in Rag history, a Mr Rag will this year be crowned together with Miss Rag at the Crowning Ceremony Ball on Friday 3 February 2012.
The purpose of Kovsie Rag Community Service is to raise funds for charity and it is currently the biggest of its kind in South Africa.
“We are in the process of exceeding all expectations” says Pieter Badenhorst, Kovsie Rag officer.