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20 December 2021
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Story Igno van Niekerk
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Photo Igno van Niekerk
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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 ...”
State of our campuses: All UFS campuses reopen on Tuesday 27 September 2016
2016-09-27
All UFS campuses reopen on Tuesday 27 September 2016
All academic and administrative services on the three campuses of the University of the Free State (UFS) will resume on Tuesday 27 September 2016.
The following decisions regarding the academic calendar are confirmed:
1. Students who missed tests and/or lectures from 19 to 26 September 2016 are requested to contact their respective faculties as from Tuesday 27 September 2016. This arrangement is also applicable to students whose tests and/or classes were disrupted on Monday 19 September 2016.
2. All tests and lectures scheduled from 27-30 September 2016 will continue as normal.
3. The holiday will take place as scheduled in the official university calendar (i.e. 3-7 October 2016).
4. Exams will continue as scheduled in the official university calendar. The main exam will still take place from 24 October to 12 November 2016, and the additional exam will take place from 14 November to 2 December 2016.
The necessary safety measures will be in place on all three campuses.
During a peaceful march, the senior leadership furthermore received a memorandum from the Free Education Movement (FEM) on the Bloemfontein Campus this afternoon, and will respond within the time frame agreed upon.