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17 November 2021 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied
Dr Julia Mafumo believes the relationship between health-care workers and the community is important. If the health-care practitioners are competent and compassionate, morbidity and mortality could be lessened, as services will be utilised where monitoring and early diagnosis are done.

“Nursing is regarded as one of the pillar professions in the health-care system and it is important that this service is accessible. The community needs to trust the health-care system enough to make use of it,” says Dr Julia Mafumo, Lecturer in the Department of Advanced Nursing Science at the University of Venda (Univen).

She believes that the University Staff Development Programme (USDP) is not only an opportunity for personal development, but that it will equip her to contribute to making health care accessible to every person who needs it. 

Dr Mafumo was selected as one of the ten candidates in the USDP, administered by the University of the Free State Office for International Affairs. The project provides funding for clinicians in global health to achieve a PhD qualification.

Univen has a track record of developing academics who are competent to address global health challenges. In more than a decade of collaboration with the University of Virginia in the United States, these universities have successfully developed global health researchers, some of whom are internationally renowned scientists today.

“Besides networking with personnel from other institutions and learning from them, the USDP is a chance to receive mentorship from academics with a strong international leadership pedigree in global health. The personnel in the programme supported me throughout my academic journey.”

“Being nominated for the staff development programme came as a blessing to me and I am very grateful for the opportunity,” says Dr Mafumo, who shares in an interview what the USDP programme meant to her. 

How has your background shaped the life and academic path that you have chosen?

I have always dreamt of pursuing a career in which I have the chance to share knowledge and information. When the University of Venda employed me, I took it as an opportunity to do just that.

My fulfilment comes from seeing a student who is competent and who can share the acquired knowledge and skills with the community at large.

What drew you to the USDP project’s call? 

The financial support in the programme gave me the opportunity to tend to my research activities. Going to the University of Virginia in February 2020 gave me the opportunity to make friends, but also to attend data analysis and management workshops, which were helpful for my studies.

The university is well established and has many resources that we don’t have. 

Please tell us more about your research 

As a lecturer in the Department of Advanced Nursing Science, I felt that I had an obligation to ensure that health care was accessible to every person who needed it. In the rural areas where I am based, most people depend on public health services, as they are unemployed and living in poverty. Many people often die without visiting the health-care facilities, as they fear the lack of competence and negative attitudes reported in the media about the nurses. 

In my work, I am developing guidelines to facilitate professional interpersonal skills for learners, so that when they graduate, they are competent and compassionate practitioners. 

With competent and caring practitioners, communities throughout South Africa will have trust in the health-care system and make use of public health-care services, resulting in a decrease in complications and early loss of life. 

Global health is one of the critical issues for the future of the human species, especially in Africa, where both infectious and non-communicable diseases threaten development. What will your project contribute to the field?

Globally, health care is a constitutional right, and every person is entitled to it. In many developing countries such as South Africa, non-communicable diseases are now major causes of morbidity and mortality, although they can be prevented and well managed. 

The relationship between health-care workers and the community is important. If health-care practitioners are competent and compassionate, morbidity and mortality could be lessened, as services will be utilised where monitoring and early diagnosis are done.

What are your career plans for the future? How will a PhD qualification assist you in reaching these goals?

Now that I have finished my doctoral studies, I would like to develop as a researcher and publish articles. I would also like to present papers at conferences in order to share information with colleagues nationally and internationally. 

Furthermore, I have also made plans to do what I love, to share knowledge and information; presenting workshops on the guidelines I developed to facilitate professional interpersonal skills for members in the nursing profession.

What is your advice for aspiring PhD candidates?

It is possible to achieve your dreams. With discipline, a positive attitude, and the support of supervisors, you have all you need to make your dream a reality.

News Archive

New SRC elected on UFS main campus
2006-08-23

 Ms Loraine Kriek, third-year student in B Consumer Sciences, was elected as SRC President of the Main Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) for 2006/2007.  Ms Kriek was a member of the Student Parliament in 2005/2006.

 The most students in the history of the UFS – 6 353 in total – voted in this year’s election.  There were only 44 spoiled votes.  Last year 4 846 students voted.

 “Other than last year, minor incidences of vandalism occurred on the Main Campus by students who were unhappy with the outcome,” said Dr Natie Luyt, Dean:  Student Affairs at the UFS.  According to Dr Luyt minor damage was caused to the Thakaneng Bridge and some other buildings on the Main Campus.  

 Kovsie Alliance obtained no proportional representation on the SRC, SASCO obtain 3 seats and the FF+Kovsies obtained 6 seats.  

 This representation gave Kovsie Alliance 1 seat, SASCO 14 seats and the FF+Kovsies 25 seats in the Student Parliament, which consists of 40 seats.

 Nine of the 18 SRC members were directly elected and nine on the basis of proportional representation (PR).   The PR system was introduced after amendments to the constitution of the Main Campus SRC were approved by the UFS Council in June 2005. 

According to Dr Luyt elections on the Vista Campus will take place today (Wednesday 23 August 2006) and Thursday 24 August 2006.  The results will be announced on Friday 25 August 2006.  The SRC of the Qwaqwa Campus will be elected on Friday 25 August 2006.  If there are no objections to the final results, it will be announced that same day.

The Central SRC, made up of representatives of the 3 campus SRCs, will be announced towards the end of September 2006.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel:  (051) 401-2584
Cell:  083 645 2454
E-mail:  loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za 
23 August 2006

 

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