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UFS MMed students present their research at prestigious international events

15 April 2024 | Story Andre Damons | Photo SUPPLIED

Five registrars from the Department of Internal Medicine — The five MMed students from the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of the Free State (UFS) will represent the university at international events. Drs Paul Bester, Anri Gerber, Debi Moagi, Batandwa Ntantiso, and Tahlia Mohangi.

Five registrars and MMed students from the Department of Internal Medicine within the School of Clinical Medicine at the University of the Free State (UFS) will soon jet off to participate in prestigious international events where they will present research in their respective fields.

Drs Paul Bester, Anri Gerber and Debi Mmasabata Seriti Moagi will attend the prestigious 9th McMaster International Review Course in Internal Medicine (MIRCIM) in Kraków, Poland in May. MIRCIM is a joint educational initiative of McMaster University’s Department of Medicine — the birthplace of evidence-based medicine (EBM) and problem-based learning (PBL) — and the Polish Institute for Evidence Based Medicine.

Dr Gerber, together with Dr Bathandwa Ntantiso, will also attend the Network for the Advancement of Patient Blood Management, Haemostasis and Thrombosis (NATA) NATA24 Annual Symposium in Bologna, Italy, scheduled from 18 to 20 April 2024. NATA24 is a unique meeting: a global multidisciplinary forum gathering healthcare professionals seeking to learn more about best clinical practice in patient blood management (PBM), the management of anaemia and iron deficiency, critical bleeding and thrombosis.

Another registrar, Dr Tahlia Mohangi, a third-year registrar in the Department of Internal Medicine, is poised to showcase her research at the upcoming International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) Congress in Barcelona, Spain, in June.

Prof Thabiso Mofokeng, Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, as well as Dr Claire Armour (Barrett), Head: Research and Development in the School of Clinical Medicine, say they are extremely proud of the registrars for their exceptional international contribution.

Academic excellence

According to Dr Armour (Barrett), Dr Bester, who passed his MBChB cum laude, is a shining example of academic excellence and passion for medicine. His journey is deeply rooted in his personal experience as a type 1 diabetic since childhood.

“Dr Bester’s commitment to excellence is evident in his academic achievements, having passed the primary exams of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa with distinction. His dedication to medicine extends beyond the classroom, as he actively seeks to unravel complex medical mysteries and rare disease presentations.

“Dr Bester’s participation in MIRCIM is testament to his commitment to advancing medical understanding in his country and beyond. His dedication, coupled with his personal experience and academic achievements, makes him a role model for aspiring medical professionals. Dr Bester is truly a credit to his alma mater (the UFS) and a source of pride for South Africa,” she says.

Dr Bester will present his compelling case report, “Protein losing enteropathy in a young patient with chorea”, at MIRCIM with his presentation not only showcasing his diagnostic acumen but also highlights his determination to share knowledge and contribute to the medical community. His trip to MIRCIM is sponsored by the esteemed Faculty of Consulting Physicians of South Africa (FCPSA).

Passion for research and patient care

Dr Gerber, who has a passion for research and patient care, has been selected to present her research, “Ironing out the Iron Profile in Heart Failure Patients”, at the NATA24 Congress before jetting off to the MIRCIM 2024 Congress where her case report, “Takayasu Arteritis: A clot or not”, has been accepted for an oral presentation. She will also compete in the prestigious Best Case Report Contest, a testament to her clinical acumen and research skills.

Last year she also attended the prestigious NIH Fogarty “Scientific Writing and Manuscript Preparation Course” presented by the University of Cape Town and University of California (San Francisco), an experience that greatly enhanced her research endeavours. In 2023, she was awarded first place in the Three Schools of Medicine Real Short Registrars Research Competition (UFS) in June 2023, where she presented the preliminary results of her MMed research.

“Dr Gerber's accomplishments exemplify her dedication to advancing medical knowledge and improving patient outcomes. Her future is bright, and she is poised to make significant contributions to the field of medicine,” says Dr Armour (Barrett).

Diagnosing rare diseases

Dr Moagi, who is deeply committed to advancing medical knowledge and patient care, will be presenting a compelling case report entitled “Unveiling the Rarity: Bilateral Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma Causing Kidney Failure in a Young Adult”, in Kraków, Poland.

Under the guidance of her esteemed supervisor, Prof Busiswa Feziwe Bisiwe, Dr Moagi’s case report sheds light on the challenges of diagnosing rare diseases, emphasising the importance of considering alternative diagnoses. Her case report highlights how embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the kidneys can masquerade as genitourinary tuberculosis, underscoring the need for a comprehensive approach to diagnosis and treatment.

According to Dr Armour (Barrett), this case report not only underscores Dr Moagi’s commitment to advancing medical knowledge and improving patient outcomes but also exemplifies the collaborative efforts within the medical community. Sponsored by the Faculty of Consulting Physicians of South Africa (FCPSA), her participation in MIRCIM is a testament to her dedication in the field of Internal Medicine. Dr Moagi was awarded a distinction for the research component of her MMed degree and continues to shape the future of healthcare through research, exemplifying excellence in her field. She is also the first black African to pass the UFS MBCHB with distinction.

Groundbreaking research

Dr Ntantiso’s groundbreaking research, “Anaemia in General Medical Inpatients in Bloemfontein, South Africa: A Significant Public Health Concern”, has been chosen for presentation as a poster at the prestigious NATA24 Annual Symposium. His travel expenses have been generously funded by the Three Schools of Medicine and the Department of Internal Medicine.

His exceptional research has not only been recognised locally but has also garnered international acclaim. He also participated in the NIH Fogarty Program’s “Scientific Writing and Manuscript Preparation Course”. Leveraging this opportunity, he refined his manuscript, leading to the successful completion of the research component of his Master of Medicine in Internal Medicine with distinction in March 2024. Currently, he is preparing for his final examinations for the Fellowship of the College of Physicians.

“In addition to his recent achievements, Dr Ntantiso was awarded third place in the Three Schools of Medicine Real Short Registrars Research Competition (UFS) in June 2023. The impact of his research has been profound, shedding light on the prevalence of anaemia in medical patients and emphasising the critical need to assess the local prevalence of anaemia within specific patient populations,” says Dr Armour (Barrett).

Exploring anaemia

Dr Tahlia Mohangi’s research study, “A 5-year Retrospective Database Review of Anaemia Prevalence and Associated Laboratory Biomarkers in a Central South African Setting”, explores anaemia and its correlation with various laboratory biomarkers. She has been awarded the prestigious Harold Gunson Fellowship from the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) to attend the congress.

“Her research endeavours to redefine the approach to anaemia in internal medicine patients while also shedding light on its alarming prevalence within the local community,” says Dr Armour (Barrett).

Dr Mohangi’s research career was boosted when she also attended a NIH Fogarty “Scientific Writing and Manuscript Preparation Course”. She came second in the Faculty of Health Sciences Three Schools of Medicine Real Short Registrars Research Competition (UFS) in June 2023, where she presented the protocol of her MMed research.

News Archive

Moshoeshoe - lessons from an African icon - by Prof Frederick Fourie

2004-11-03

(The full text of the article that appeared in City Press and Sunday Independent)

Our understanding of history informs our understanding of the present. No wonder the contestation over historical figures in South Africa’s past is so fierce and so divisive.
The question is: could it be any other way? I would like to think that it could; that black and white South Africans, across linguistic, cultural, religious and other divides, can develop a shared appreciation of our history – at least with certain periods and personalities as a starting point.

One such personality whose legacy I believe offers a possible platform for unifying our still divided country is King Moshoeshoe, who lived from 1786 to 1870, and is acknowledged as the founder of the Basotho.

King Moshoeshoe is the topic of a documentary that has been commissioned by the University of the Free State as part of its Centenary celebrations this year. It is part of a larger project to honour and research the legacy of Moshoeshoe. The documentary will be screened on SABC 2 at 21:00 on November 4th.

Moshoeshoe rose to prominence at a time of great upheaval and conflict in South Africa – the 19th century, a time when British colonialism was entrenching itself, when the Boer trekkers were migrating from the Cape and when numerous indigenous chiefdoms and groupings were engaged in territorial conquests. It was the time of the Difaqane, a period when society in the central parts of the later South Africa and Lesotho was fractured, destabilised and caught in a cycle of violence and aggression.

In this period Moshoeshoe displayed a unique and innovative model of leadership that resulted in reconciliation, peace and stability in the area that later became Lesotho and Free State. It made him stand out from many of his contemporaries and also caught the attention of his colonial adversaries.

Such an evaluation is not a judgment about which model of leadership is right and which is wrong, or which leader was better than another; but merely an attempt to explore what we can learn from a particular exemplar.
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Historians point to the many progressive leadership qualities displayed by Moshoeshoe which he used effectively in establishing the Basotho nation and in defending it.
First, there is his humanism and sense of justice worthy of any great statesman. Confronted by a situation in which cannibals murdered and devoured his grandfather, Moshoeshoe chose not to take revenge. Instead he opted to rehabilitate them and feed them as he believed hunger drove them to cannibalism.

Secondly, there is his skilful alliance-building with his contemporaries such as Shaka in an attempt to neutralize those rivals who were intent on attacking his followers. This is also displayed in the way he sought the protection of the British to keep the Boer forces at bay.
Thirdly, his emphasis on peaceful options is also seen in his defensive military strategy which saw him retreat to a mountain fortress to be able to protect and build a burgeoning nation in the face of the many forces threatening its survival.

Fourthly, there is his remarkable inclusivity and tolerance for diversity which saw him unite disparate groups of refugees from the violence and hunger that displaced them and then weld them into the Basotho nation. He also engaged with French missionaries, inviting them to stay with him and advise him on Western thought, technology and religion.
These are but some of the qualities which belie the notion that all 19th century African leaders were merely marauders and conquerors that gained their ascendancy through violence. Instead Moshoeshoe is a prime example of the human-centred, democratic and pluralist roots of South African, indeed African society.

The Moshoeshoe project that we have initiated (of which the documentary, called “The Renaissance King”, forms but one part) derives from our location as a university in the Free State, a province with a particular history and a particular political culture that developed as a result of this very model of leadership. This province has benefited tremendously from leaders such as Moshoeshoe and president MT Steyn, both of whom many observers credit with establishing a climate of tolerance, respect for diversity of opinion, political accommodation and peaceful methods of pursuing political objectives in the province. Their legacy is real – and Moshoeshoe’s role can not be overstated.
In addition the project derives from the University of the Free State being a site of higher learning in a broader geo-political sense. As a university in Africa we are called upon to understand and critically engage with this history, this context and this legacy.
Besides the documentary, the UFS is also planning to establish an annual Moshoeshoe memorial lecture which will focus on and interrogate models of African leadership, nation-building, reconciliation, diversity management and political tolerance.

In tackling such projects, there may be a temptation to engage in myth-making. It is a trap we must be wary of, especially as an institution of higher learning. We need to ask critical questions about some aspects of Moshoeshoe’s leadership but of current political leadership as well. Thus there is a need for rigorous academic research into aspects of the Moshoeshoe legacy in particular but also into these above-mentioned issues.
While the documentary was commissioned to coincide with the University of the Free State’s centenary and our country’s ten years of democracy, it is a project that has a much wider significance. It is an attempt to get people talking about our past and about our future, as a campus, as a province and as a country – even as a continent, given the NEPAD initiatives to promote democracy and good governance.

The project therefore has particular relevance for the continued transformation of institutions such as universities and the transformation of our society. Hopefully it will assist those who are confronted by the question how to bring about new institutional cultures or even a national political culture that is truly inclusive, tolerant, democratic, non-sexist, non-racial, multilingual and multicultural.

I believe that the Moshoeshoe model of leadership can be emulated and provide some point of convergence. A fractured society such as ours needs points of convergence, icons and heroes which we can share. Moshoeshoe is one such an African icon – in a world with too few of them.

Prof Frederick Fourie is the Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State

* The documentary on “Moshoeshoe: The Renaissance King” will be screened on SABC2 on 4 November 2004 at 21:00.

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