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09 June 2022 | Story André Damons | Photo Supplied
Prof Motlalepula Matsabis
Prof Motlalepula Matsabisa is a professor and Director of Pharmacology at the University of the Free State (UFS) and will play host to and lead a World Health Organisation (WHO) Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) and the African Union Commission (AU) mission to South Africa.
Prof Motlalepula Matsabisa, Director of Pharmacology at the University of the Free State (UFS), and his department will host representatives from the World Health Organisation (WHO) Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), the African Union Commission (AU) and the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Regional Expert Advisory Committee on Traditional Medicines for COVID-19 (REACT) experts, during a mission to South Africa.  

According to Prof Matsabisa, who is the chairperson of REACT, the main purpose of the mission is to meet with researchers in preclinical and as well as those conducting clinical trials for herbal medicines for COVID-19, medicines regulators, ethics committee and the local pharmaceutical companies in the herbal medicines production for COVID-19. The expected outcome of this mission is to take stock of best practices or challenges in traditional medicines research, clinical trials, ethics and medicine regulation around traditional medicines as well as capabilities in local traditional medicine products production.  

“The mission will also be looking at technical capabilities for researchers to conduct clinical trials, identify facilities conducting clinical trials, as well as pharmaceutical companies in local production of herbal medicinal products so as to recommend to the AU, countries and member states about these capabilities and how to pool resources together.

“The mission will also be looking for best research traditional medicinal products that have undergone preclinical and clinical research and produced locally so that such products could be recommended for endorsement by the WHO. At the end of the mission a report will be produced and presented to the WHO and the Department of Health and all stakeholders as well as making this report available to WHO HQ in Geneva,” says Prof Matsabisa.

This is an excellent mission given that it has been recognising the research excellence of the UFS Pharmacology IKS to attract international United Nations (UN) bodies and the AU. The Indigenous Knowledge System (IKS) for Health in the Department of Pharmacology, within the UFS Faculty of Health Sciences, has excelled in the research and development of traditional medicines.  

“The Pharmacology IKS is the first in the country and sub-region to have its research product PHELA, a traditional medicine, to receive ethics approval from Pharma Ethics and South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) to be tested in a Phase II clinical trial on COVID-19 patients. This clinical study is a multicentre study conducted at clinical trial sites in Vereeniging, Kimberley and Port Elizabeth.  

“It is for this reason that Pharmacology IKS is hosting the WHO Africa CDC, EDCTP and the AU Commission Mission to South Africa delegation for coming to note the best research practices on traditional medicines research, clinical trials and manufacturing of the herbal medicinal products. Pharmacology IKS will take this mission around the country to visit key collaborators in the project, to funders of the project, and some industry partners involved in the research and production of PHELA.” 

The delegation will be at the UFS Bloemfontein Campus for the whole day of 17 June 2022, meeting with senior management, meeting chairpersons of ethics committees, visiting different laboratories including Virology, Medical Microbiology, Pharmacology and Farmovs. The other institutions the mission will meet include the National Department of Health, South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), Pharma Ethics, Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) on 13 June 2022. The high-level delegation will visit all three clinical trial sites in Vereeniging, Kimberley and Gqeberha where the Pharmacology PHELA COVID-19 clinical trials are being undertaken. During the visits the mission delegation will be in discussion with participants about best practices that could be taken and expanded throughout the continent and also to hear about challenges so that the WHO could assist.

News Archive

Lots of inspiration at Autumn Graduation Ceremony
2013-04-18

 

Graduates celebrate the results of years of study at the graduation ceremony on the Bloemfontein Campus.
Photo: Hannes Pieterse
17 April 2013

Live streaming of ceremonies available from 16 April - 19 April 2013: http://www.ufs.ac.za/ufslivestreaming/

Joshua Johnson YouTube video

The university’s Autumn Graduation Ceremony got off to a vibrant start with energetic performances and inspiring messages for graduates.

Joshua Johnson, an American student who uses his talent for tap-dancing to fund his tertiary education, mesmerised the audience on the first of the four-day graduation ceremony with his story of hope and perseverance. The student from Penn State University travels five hours by bus to New York every weekend where he tap-dances on the subway trains to earn money for his tuition fees.

Delivering a keynote address, Joshua told graduates that, in order to achieve their goals, they have to understand and work diligently with the 24 hours they get to live daily. “Start with a bang and end with a bang,” he said, encouraging the audience in the nearly-packed Callie Human Centre to join him in a rhythmic tap-dancing beat.

“Don’t follow in the footsteps of someone else. Take the beat of life, but add your rhythm to it," his wise words resonating with the exhilarated graduates.

Joshua will be the guest speaker at the ceremonies on 16, 17 and 19 April 2013 and will deliver a dance item during each occasion.

Dr Khotso Mokhele, Chancellor of the University, echoed Joshua‘s message, telling graduates not to be discouraged by life’s difficulties.

“Take what you have learned over the last three or four years and use that knowledge to reach your goal,” he advised.

Prof Jonathan Jansen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, encouraged them to continue to study. “To break the cycle of poverty, get an education, get a degree.” He told them that as graduates they are ten times more likely to get a job, with the odds rising as they continue their postgraduate studies.

Well-known radio host and Idols South Africa judge, Gareth Cliff, will be the guest speaker at two ceremonies on 18 April 2013. He will be joined by Vicus Visser, the South African YouTube singing sensation. Dubbed Bloemfontein’s Justin Bieber, Vicus and his brother Vincent will perform during these two ceremonies.

The programme for the respective ceremonies is:

Wednesday 17 April

09:30 Diplomas and certificates up to and including honours degrees in the Faculty of Education.
14:30 Diplomas and certificates up to and including honours degrees in the Faculties of Health Sciences, Law and Theology.

Thursday 18 April

09:30 Diplomas and certificates up to and including honours degrees in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences: only Agricultural Sciences and Architecture.
14:30 Diplomas and certificates up to and including honours degrees in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences: only Natural Sciences.

Friday 19 April

09:30 Diplomas and certificates up to and including honours degrees in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences: all diplomas and degrees in the Faculty, except BCom and BComHons.
14:30 Diplomas and certificates up to and including honours degrees in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences: only BCom and BComHons.

The Qwaqwa Campus’ graduation ceremony will take place on 8 June 2013. Diplomas/certificates up to and including doctorates will be awarded at this ceremony.

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