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 ...”
Unit for Students with Disabilities impresses
2012-08-10
 |
MUT learns from UFS: From the left, back: Ms Hetsie Veitch, Head of the Unit for Students with Disabilities at the UFS; Mr Rudi Buys, Student Dean at the UFS; front: Mr Mthoko Ntuli, Student Development Officer; Ms Lindiwe Chamane, Student Guidance Officer; and Dr Sibongiseni Ngcamu, Coordinator of Organisational Development (all from the MUT).
10 August 2012 |
Staff of the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) in KwaZulu-Natal visited the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) to gain insight into the working of the Unit for Students with Disabilities. They visited the campus on recommendation of the Deputy Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Ms Hendrietta Ipeleng Bogopane-Zulu.
In the interaction between the two institutions, it was agreed that the Unit for Students with Disabilities would assist the MUT in drawing up a policy for students with disabilities, as well as on how to make residences more accessible and to manage support services for the students. The two institutions also agree to closer collaboration of student governance and leadership development as well as international students.
Ms Hetsie Veitch, Head of the Unit for Students with Disabilities, said this was not the first time that the UFS was used as a benchmark. She said the UFS is held in high regard because every disabled student’s needs were specifically addressed. “We follow a holistic approach so that students with disabilities have the same student life and experience as any other