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UFS Staff member elected first female president of the Vascular Society of Southern Africa

03 October 2023 | Story André Damons | Photo André Damons

Dr Asha Malan, the Head of Vascular Surgery in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS), has made history by being elected as the President-elect for the Vascular Society of Southern Africa. This milestone marks the first time a woman in South Africa has attained this prestigious position in the Society’s 40-year existence.

Dr Malan, an exemplary surgeon and a trailblazer, is not only one of the seven qualified female vascular surgeons in the country but also holds the distinction of being the youngest and first female to head an academic unit in South Africa. Her election took place at the recently concluded 2023 Vascular Society of Southern Africa (VASSA) Congress, a significant event for the UFS Division of Vascular Surgery, under her leadership as the congress chairperson. The Congress was hosted at the Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West, Cape Town, in collaboration with the World Federation of Vascular Societies (WFVS) and the European Society of Vascular Surgery (ESVS).

Reflecting on her achievement, Dr Malan remarked, “It is not only an honour to be the first woman in 40 years to lead this Society, but an honour to be elected for this role. VASSA has established a well-recognised international footprint and has invested significantly in promoting the growth of vascular surgery as a specialised surgical field in South Africa.”

She added, “Representing the Society in this capacity allows me to continue serving its members and the Southern African community, creating awareness not only about the growing burden of vascular diseases but also the advancements in the field to address these challenges.”

First gathering since 2018

The 2023 VASSA Congress marked the first gathering of Vascular Surgery specialists in South Africa since 2018, a gap caused by the pandemic. The event was attended by approximately 300 delegates, including nursing staff, radiographers, vascular technologists and other allied health professionals with a keen interest in Vascular Surgery. VASSA sponsored nursing staff, a radiographer and a vascular technologist from Universitas Academic Hospital to attend the meeting.

The high-quality, four-day programme featured talks from local and international experts covering various aspects of vascular surgery, such as aortic surgery, peripheral arterial disease, carotid pathology, dialysis access and venous disease. Notably, the academic programme saw the participation of 32 international speakers. Guest speaker, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, the founder of the Gift of the Givers Foundation, delivered an inspiring talk during the ethics session titled “Humanitarian efforts within the Healthcare Sector – Sharing the Responsibility”.

Presentations

During the Congress, Dr Malan and several Vascular Surgeons from the Department of Surgery represented the UFS. Dr Malan shared her experiences in developing a dedicated unit for the management of complex thoraco-abdominal aneurysmal disease, a talk that garnered significant interest and applause from both local and international experts.

In her presentation, Dr Malan took the audience through her journey to several different international units to gain expertise in open thoraco-abdominal aortic surgery. She also highlighted the UFS Division of Vascular Surgery’s achievement of being the first academic Vascular Surgery unit in South Africa to perform a complex endovascular aortic aneurysm repair. In addition, Dr Sam Letsoara and Dr Wikus Mulder, Vascular Surgery Fellows in training, presented the local evolution of endovascular therapy as well as an audit of endovascular management of blunt thoracic aortic injury at Universitas Academic Hospital, respectively. Dr Sam Agbo, a registrar in the Department of Surgery, also presented his MMed research, evaluating the cost of open versus endovascular management of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

The Congress significantly contributed to the promotion of Vascular Surgical awareness and care, not only in South Africa, but across Africa and globally. It stands as a testament to the dedication and expertise of the Division of Vascular Surgery at the University of the Free State.

News Archive

UFS takes 70 first-year students to the USA

2010-08-20

Mr Rudi Buys (middle, with tie) with some of the students selected for the F1 Programme
Photo: Gerhard Louw

The University of the Free State (UFS) has announced the names of the first ever group of 70 first-year students that will travel to the United States of America (USA) as part of the university’s Student Leadership Development Programme.

This group of students will spend two weeks at universities in the USA to experience student life and learn about leadership and diversity at these universities.

“This is a first for not only the UFS, but also for South Africa and we are incredibly proud. The programme is unique to any other student leadership development programme in the country. We are leading the way and are taking students to live and learn amongst students at various universities across the USA,” said Mr Rudi Buys, Dean of Student Affairs at the UFS.

The programme was one of the goals of Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, which he aimed to realise when he was appointed by the UFS in 2009.

“With the programme we want to develop participants’ thinking and capacity to lead in the contexts of diversity and change and we hope to direct them to programmes leading change in student life in general upon their return,” Mr Buys said.

The 70 students will leave for the USA on 22 September 2010. After spending some time there and learning more about their American peers’ lives and culture, they will return to the UFS on 7 October 2010.

“We took great care in selecting the 70 participants. They are representative of all our students, as well as students from our Qwaqwa Campus,” said Mr Buys.

A rigorous selection process was followed, which focused on the students’ academic excellence, their participation in student- and residence-life programmes and their interest in growing in the areas of, amongst others, leadership, diversity and citizenship. Each candidate had to undergo a pre-selection process, followed by a panel interview consisting of staff from various faculties and divisions at the UFS.

The students will stay in groups of about ten at the various universities, which include universities such as Cornell University, New York University, the University of Massachusetts, the Appalachian State University and Virginia Polytechnic University. “These universities will provide our students with accommodation and will present various academic and cultural programmes which our students will participate in and learn from,” said Mr Buys.

“We have also put a programme in place to prepare our students thoroughly for the trip. Because some of them have never travelled on an aeroplane, let alone travelled to a foreign country, we have made arrangements with the Department of Home Affairs for assistance with travel documentation, as well as special arrangements with the USA Embassy for assistance with visas. They will also be attending workshops focusing on, amongst others, research, leadership and diversity before their departure on 22 September 2010.

“Upon their arrival in the USA the group of students will firstly be taken to Washington DC where they will be briefed about American customs, etc. From there they will be placed at the various universities,” said Mr Buys.

Upon their return the students must be involved in student-life programmes on campus, establish volunteer programmes and initiate and establish mentoring programmes for their fellow students. “We want them to give back what they have learnt and experienced,” said Mr Buys.

“We are planning on implementing the Student Leadership Development Programme as an annual programme and are looking forward to this incredible programme through which this group of first-year students will have the opportunity of a lifetime to be true ambassadors of South Africa and, in particular, the UFS, as they leave for the USA,” he said.

Media Release:
Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt@ufs.ac.za
20 August 2010

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