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 ...”
International exhibition, ‘Signs of Solidarity: The Dutch Against Apartheid’ stimulates reflection on SA’s past
2015-08-03
The Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice (IRSJ) has arranged for the popular travelling exhibition, ‘Signs of Solidarity: The Dutch Against Apartheid’, to be shown on the Bloemfontein Campus. In support of the University of the Free State’s Human Project, the IRSJ strives to stimulate reflections into South Africa’s past, and to establish a conversation about the significance of our history by bringing this exhibition to the campus.
Details of the event
Date: 4 August 2015
Time: 14:00 – 15:30
Place: UFS Sasol Library foyer, Bloemfontein Campus
RSVP: Eddie de Wet at DeWetE@ufs.ac.za
The exhibition will be opened by the Vice Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, Professor Jonathan Jansen and the Ambassador to South Africa from the Royal Kingdom of the Netherlands, Marisa Gerards.
‘Signs of Solidarity: The Dutch Against Apartheid’ is a moving testimony to the massive scale of civil support the Netherlands has shown to South Africa’s liberation struggle. Their support grew to such an extent that it not only became a national agenda, but also one of the greatest protest movements the Netherlands has ever known.