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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

Full week of graduation ceremonies at UFS in April

2015-04-10

Autumn always sees the UFS’s first graduation ceremony of the year on the Bloemfontein Campus.

From 14 – 17 April 2015, graduates will once again be rewarded for their hard work while top speakers will address them in the Callie Human Centre. There will be a ceremony at 09:00 and at 14:30 each day on all four days of the graduation.

The programme for the 2015 April Graduation is as follows:

Tuesday 14 April 2015:

Professor Himla Soodyall will be the speaker at both ceremonies on this day. Prof Soodyall is a Medical Scientist for the South African Institute for Medical Research. She is also a Principal Medical Scientist for the National Health Laboratory Service, and a Director for the Human Genome Diversity and Disease Research Unit at the University of Witwatersrand.

During the first ceremony of the day at 09:00, all diplomas/certificates and B degrees in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences will be awarded. Only Honours degrees in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences will be awarded at the 14:30 ceremony.

Wednesday 15 April 2015:

Wednesday will see Ndumiso Hadebe take the stage to address graduates at both ceremonies.

At the age of 23, Hadebe is the Founder and Managing Director of Master Frontiers Consulting, a firm that capacitates leaders and managers to achieve business goals through their people. He worked previously as a Researcher at Shanduka Black Umbrellas, a flagship enterprise and supplier development programme of the Shanduka Foundation.

He has been received numerous awards for excellence in leadership, such as the Sedibeng District Municipal Mayor’s Award for Service and Leadership. He is a Brand South Africa Ambassador and Read Educational Trust Ambassador.

All diplomas/certificates, B and Honours degrees in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, except B Com degrees, will be awarded during the morning ceremony at 09:00. Later, at the 14:30 ceremony, only B Com degrees in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences will be awarded.

Thursday 16 April 2015:

Multiple award winning South African TV presenter, Leanne Manas, will be the speaker at both Thursday ceremonies.

Manas has graced our screens for over a decade. Not many broadcasters can boast having had live TV experience, 5 days a week for 12 years. She is currently the anchor of SABC 2’s flagship breakfast programme, Morning Live. Leanne is a qualified Speech and Drama teacher. having studied at London Trinity College. She also has an Honours degree in English.
Diplomas/certificates up to and including Honours degrees in the Faculty of the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Communication Sciences will be awarded during the ceremony at 09:00. The 14:30 ceremony will have diplomas/certificates up to and including Honours degrees in the Faculty of the Humanities’ other qualifications except for Social Sciences and Communication Sciences.

Friday 17 April 2015:

Dr Maria Phalime will be the speaker at both ceremonies on Friday.

Phalime is a medical doctor and award-winning author. She practiced for a brief period as a general practitioner in South Africa and the United Kingdom, before leaving medical practice to pursue non-clinical interests. She has worked in trade and investment promotion, and has undertaken research and consulting in the areas of economic development and business facilitation.

Diplomas/certificates up to and including Honours degrees in the Faculty of Education (CE, NPDE and ACE excluded) will be awarded during the ceremony at 09:00. Diplomas/certificates up to and including Honours degrees in the Faculties of Health Sciences, Law, and Theology will be awarded at the 14:30 ceremony.

Click here for the simple layout of the 2015 April Graduation programme:
http://www.ufs.ac.za/adhoc-pages/2014-graduation-ceremony/graduation-ceremony

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