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15 February 2021 | Story Dr Cindé Greyling | Photo Charl Devenish
Quick and easy access to several health-care services under one roof. From the left, are Sister Sarien de Necker, Dr Arina Meyer, Dr Gerhard Jansen, Dr Elna Kleyn, and Sister Florence Maleho.


The University of the Free State Health Practice has been serving the UFS community for decades. Conveniently located on our Bloemfontein Campus, it offers quick and easy access to several health-care services under one roof. There is no need to struggle with your health or postpone check-ups – simply visit our UFS Health Practice for a pleasant experience. Our clientele ranges from UFS top management to staff/students with limited resources.

Several services and payment options

Over and above the general practitioner services, the physicians specialise in family health, travel medicine, and sport and exercise medicine. The practice also performs minor surgeries, treat non-sports related injuries, provide female health (PAP smears, contraception, etc.), and all blood tests. In addition, travellers can obtain vaccinations, and insurance policy examinations are also done. You can also get primary health care, physiotherapy, and biokinetic rehabilitation as part of the range of medical services offered at the UFS Health Practice. 

An appointment system limits the waiting time and walk-in emergencies are dealt with as needed. While the practice claims from medicals aids, UFS staff members have the option to deduct visiting costs from their salaries should their benefits be depleted. Non-medical aid patients can settle accounts by cash, card, or EFT. Students can also use their student accounts for doctor and physiotherapy visits within a capped amount. 

Convenient health care

The UFS Health Practice is open from Monday to Friday from 08:00 until 16:30, and mostly keep to its 15-minute consultation schedule, unless an emergency arises. Due to the unique setup, it can accommodate staff and student schedules, and the broader community is also welcome to make use of its services.

Dr Gerhard Jansen says quite a few staff members and their families are already visiting the practice, and they would love for more UFS employees to pay them a visit. “We are dedicated to our patients’ care and do regular follow-up calls to check on our patients’ health. When needed, we refer our patients for specialist care.”

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please:  
call: 051 401 2603/2530

News Archive

UFS to award honorary doctorate to Maria Ramos
2004-12-08

The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) recently approved the awarding of an honorary doctorate to Ms Maria Ramos, Group Chief Executive of Transnet in April 2005. A total of five honorary doctorandi will be honored.

The other doctorandi are Proff Jan Groenewald (D Sc (hc)), Jaap Durand (D Phil (hc)), Sampie Terreblanche (C Dom (hc)) and Anthon Heyns (MD (hc)).

Me Ramos will receive an honorary doctorate in Economics (P hD (Economics) (hc)) for the large contribution she made to the establishment of a prudent fiscal and macro-economic policy in South Africa and hence, to the restoration of the financial credibility of the country in the eyes of domestic and foreign investors. Ms Ramos was the Director General of the National Treasury from 1996-2003.

She obtained the MSc-degree in Economics in 1992 from the University of London and was awarded a British Council Scholarship (Helen Suzman award) in the same year and in 1991. During the early nineties she was among others project leader of the ANC’s Macro-economic Research Group and also a member of the team that negotiated chapters on finance in the interim Constitution of South Africa. She was a research associate at the Centre for the Study of the South African Economy and International Finance at the London School of Economics and also lectured at the Universities of South Africa and the Witwatersrand.

“It is a great privilege for us to honor Ms Ramos and the other doctorandi in their different fields of expertise. This once again serves as an example of the UFS’s policy to give recognition to people who excel and make a difference,” said Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS.

Prof Jan Groenewald will receive an honorary doctorate for his life-long commitment to the establishment and development of Agricultural Economics as a subject field in South Africa and in Africa and his various contributions to the UFS. During his career, Prof Groenewald received various awards among others in 1998 when he received the Stals Prize for Economics from the South African Academy for Science and Art and in 1990 when he received an honorary medal from the South African Society for Agricultural Economics.

Prof Jaap Durand will receive an honorary doctorate in Philosophy for his pioneering work on various fields in the South African society. He obtained his Masters degree in Philosophy from the UFS and contributed to almost 60 articles and collections. Prof Durand has a colourful career as academic manager: from professor in Systematic Theology and dean of the Faculty of Theology at the University of the Western Cape to Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the same university. He was the ombudsman of the University of Stellenbosch from 2002-2003.

Prof Sampie Terreblanche will receive an honorary doctorate in Economics for the important role he played, and is still playing, to keep the debate about and the need for socio-economic and socio-political reform in South Africa going. Prof Terreblanche started his career as a lecturer at the UFS. In 1992 the Stals Prize for Economics was awarded to him by the South African Academy for Science and Art. Prof Terreblanche was also a founding member of ASSET, an organisation addressing the problems of poverty, inequality and social injustice in South Africa.

Prof Anthon Heyns, Chief Executive Officer of the South African National Blood Service, will receive an honorary doctorate in Medicine. Prof Heyns is a well-known international researcher in Hematology and recently received a Centenary Medal from the UFS for his strong role and national prominence as expert and leading figure in establishing and developing Hematology at the UFS. He was the first head of the UFS’s Department of Hematology and is also co-editor of the only Afrikaans hand book of Hematology. He serves among others as a council member and member of the executive management of the South African Medical Research Council. On the international front he serves on at least five committees of the World Health Organisation based in Geneve, Switzerland. He has two honorary appointments as professor respectively at the UFS and University of the Witwatersrand.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
8 December 2004

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