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14 February 2023 | Story Prof Nicholas Pearce | Photo Andre Damons
The Faculty of Health Sciences and the Faculty of the Humanities at the University of the Free State (UFS), in collaboration with PathCare laboratories, joined forces on Valentine’s Day – since it is seen as a day of unconditional love that you share with your partner – reaching out to the community in the Bloemfontein CBD and Preller Square, by drawing attention to gender-based violence – a topic that is often misunderstood, not discussed, and often occurs behind closed doors.

The University of the Free State views gender-based violence (GBV) as a scourge of our modern society. In this vein, the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Faculty of the Humanities joined forces on Valentine’s Day, since it is seen as a day of unconditional love that you share with your partner.

In collaboration with PathCare laboratories, the university saw an opportunity to reach out to the community in the CBD and Preller Square. The idea was to draw attention to a topic that is often misunderstood, not discussed, and often occurs behind closed doors. Medical and Humanities students actively engaged with the communities by handing out Valentine’s chocolates and information pamphlets regarding GBV.

Community engagement forms part of the UFS’ strategic goals. The collaboration between these two faculties on such an important topic is testament to the university’s commitment to eradicating GBV in all forms and manifestations.

Prof Frans Maruma, Head of the Marketing Committee for the School of Clinical Medicine, stated that “gender-based violence has no place in our modern society. Most of the time, victims are among us and go unrecognised”.

The Faculty of the Humanities provided a visual aspect to this important topic by doing the make-up of the students involved in order to highlight the abuse these victims suffer. Mr Cloete (Faculty of the Humanities) indicated that “no person is immune to gender-based violence, and gender-based violence transcends race, gender, and wealth”.

Pathcare laboratories was proud to collaborate with the University of the Free State, as this aligns with their ideology of community-based care. PathCare recognises its role in the broader society by offering to test victims of GBV. PathCare offers a range of tests, specially catered towards GBV survivors to ensure that appropriate medical care can be provided in the shortest possible turnaround time.

Two thousand chocolates and pamphlets were distributed to members of the community through this collaboration. The university and the private sector hope to eradicate GBV on local and national level. 

Gender-based violence may be any of the following: physical abuse, verbal abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, socio-economic abuse, domestic violence, or abuse such as sexual harassment. Below are the UFS contact details for victims of GBV. 

University of the Free State
Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office (GEADO)

Bloemfontein Campus
Deputy Director: Nchabeleng Lentsu
nchabelengnv@ufs.ac.za

Senior Officer: Geraldine Lengau
Contact: +27 51 401 3982

South Campus
Senior Officer: Mocwana Chelepe
Contact: +27 51 401 7544

Student Counselling and Development (SCD)
Contact: +27 51 401 9236

Victim Empowerment Centre (TCC)
Walk-ins.
 
HOTLINES:
UFS SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) 
+27 57 401 7777

GBVCC (Gender-Based Violence Command Centre)
0800 428 428

Please call me facility:
*120*7867#

Skype line: 
Helpme GBV for members of the deaf community.

An SMS-based line:
31531 for persons with disabilities (SMS ‘help’ to 31531)

News Archive

First M degree in Sport Medicine commences at the UFS
2006-02-03

Some of the guests that attended the launch of the M degree in Sport Medicine were from the left Dr Derik Coetzee (senior lecturer at the UFS Department of Human Movement Science and one of the tutors of the programme); Dr Sorita Viljoen (a student from Bloemfontein); dr Stephan Pretorius (a student from Pretoria) ; Dr Louis Holtzhausen (Programme Director:  Sport Medicine at the UFS) and Prof Teuns Verschoor (Vice-Rector:  Academic Operations at the UFS).
Photo: Lacea Loader


First M degree in Sport Medicine commences at the UFS   
 

The classes of the first group of nine students registered for the M degree in Sport Medicine at the University of the Free State (UFS) commenced at the School of Medicine this week.

This is the first degree of its kind presented by the UFS.  Only two other universities in South Africa are presenting the course, namely the University of Cape Town and the University of Pretoria.

“It is an important new subject field for medicine in South Africa and is aimed at medical doctors,” said Dr Louis Holtzhausen, Programme Director of Sport Medicine in the School of Medicine and head of the UFS Sport and Exercise Medicine Clinic.

The course focuses on the wellness and healthy lifestyle of patients and also intercepts the growing need for a specialized medical service for sportsmen,” said Dr Holtzhausen.

Athletes’ needs for specialised medical care have increased dramatically during the past ten years.  “The primary health care practitioner has already surrendered a great deal of the athletics community to disciplines such as physiotherapy, bio kinetics, homeopathy, chirology and other alternative disciplines because of a lack to provide for these practitioners,” said Dr Holtzhausen.

“The course is especially in demand with general practitioners because they want to deliver a more specialized service to patients.  With this course a student can call him/herself a sport doctor and will then not only be able to present patients with scientifically funded exercise, food supplements and advice on their lifestyle, but will also be able to help with the rehabilitation of patients with chronic illnesses,” said Dr Holtzhausen.

“The greatest medical care expense in South African stems from lifestyle bound illnesses such as depression, strokes and obesesiveness.  The M degree in Sports Medicine at the UFS will intercept some of these problems,” said Dr Holtzhausen.

According to Dr Holtzhausen the duration of the degree is three years and it comprises of three legs.  In the first leg, attention is given to an athlete’s performance and how it can be improved with the correct methods and supplements.  In the second leg attention is given to the wellness of patients and the reversibility of the risk of illness and the exercise rehabilitation of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hart problems to assist patients to exercise in a scientific way in order for them to start living optimally again.  In the third leg attention is given to a healthier lifestyle as a precautionary measure. 

The course also includes a lecture part (four attendance sessions of seven days each) and a thesis.  

“The new course is important for the UFS as the whole tendency in medicine is to move into a direction of a more affordable precaution.  There is no other qualification or programme with as much detail as this course,” he said.

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

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