Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
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

RAG resilience shines despite rain
2017-02-07

Description: Rag 2017 Tags: Rag 2017

Winning float for 2017: Armentum, Vergeet-My-Nie,
and Emily
Photo: Lelanie de Wet 

Although the 75th RAG festivities were challenged by ominous weather, in true Kovsie spirit students and organisers still made a gleaming success of the day. 

Students help to create sunny feeling
On 6 February 2017, the annual float-building activities culminated in the handing over of schoolbags to 150 learners from schools in and around Bloemfontein. This took place at the Rag Farm on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free (UFS), since the morning procession to Twin City Mall in Heidedal had to be cancelled due to bad weather.

“It is of course a huge disappointment to all of us that the events had to be cancelled, but we are grateful for the rain,” said Karen Scheepers, Head of Kovsie Rag Community Service and Assistant Director: Student Affairs.

The evening KFC Rag procession took place as planned, with students having the option of taking part despite the weather. Unfortunately, the Chevrolet Music Festival had to be cancelled.

“The very important actors of today are our students who have worked long hours to build the floats and who have worked together to make this rainy day on the outside feel sunny inside,” said Prof Francis Petersen, incoming UFS Vice-Chancellor and Rector, when he addressed the crowd at the Rag Farm. Prof Petersen will take up office on 1 April 2017.

Armentum, Vergeet-My-Nie, and Emily take honours
Armentum, Vergeet-My-Nie, and Emily Hobhouse were the overall winners of the 2017 Rag float-building. “It was worth the hard work. Always remember to ask for advice during float-building,” said Pieter Kotze, RC Rag of Armentum residence on the Bloemfontein Campus. “I also want to thank both the RC Rag from Vergeet-My-Nie and Emily Hobhouse.”

The float theme was Proudly South African, and the winning float encapsulated it with local flavours such as Chappies, a Rooibos tea box and a Lion matchsticks box. They also went the extra mile by incorporating each hostel’s logo within a Chappie design.

The Central Rag Committee would like to thank all their sponsors who made the events possible. The Rag Coronation Ball will take place on 17 February 2017, where the new Rag Queen and Mr Rag will be crowned.

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept