Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items

UFS launches two public health programmes

31 October 2024 | Story André Damons | Photo André Damons

What started seven years ago as a dream, came to fruition in October 2024, when the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS) officially launched two new programmes, the Master of Public Health and PhD Public Health in the Division of Public Health (DPH).

In his welcome address, Prof Gert van Zyl, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, said it is a significant milestone launching these particularly important programmes in the faculty. The launch took place on 24 October 2024 at the James Moroka Building on the Bloemfontein Campus. These programmes are dedicated to recognising and responding to complex national and global public health challenges through high-quality research, teaching and learning, and engaged scholarship.

Prof Bonang Mohale, UFS Chancellor, and Dr BE Mzangwa, Acting Deputy Director General of the Free State Department of Health and CEO of the Universitas Academic Hospital, were also in attendance, while Mr Ramphelane Morewane, Deputy Director General of HIV/AIDS, TB, Maternal and Child Health, in the National Department of Health, delivered a congratulatory message virtually.

Said Prof Van Zyl: “The vision of the public health dream in the faculty started with a small group of us having a discussion on taking public health forward. At that first meeting we already agreed on an action plan. We knew then if we kept true to this dream, we would have success, but this success would not be for us. It would be for the influence of the lives of many postgraduate students that will enrol in the programmes in this division and uplift themselves by getting a quality and relevant qualification. Ready to serve the bigger community.

“For those who are part of the vision of the public health dream, remember the dream and vision, continue with the collaborative efforts and spirit, remain committed to the dream and do everything that is needed to allow it to excel, and never forget the core values we embraced at the beginning when we started this dream,” said Prof Van Zyl.

Addressing public health challenges

Prof Anthea Rhoda, Acting UFS Vice-Chancellor and Principal, said in a video message that the launch marks a significant milestone symbolising the beginning of an academic endeavour aligned with Vision 130, which emphasises academic excellence, quality and impact.

“Today’s launch represents a crucial step in the Faculty of Health Sciences’ commitment to address public health challenges within our communities, nationally, as well as globally. It also represents a crucial step in the University of the Free State’s dedication to tackling public health challenges that are prevalent in our communities.

“The Division of Public Health aspires to be engaging, diversifying public health through innovative, global responsive research. Public health, as is common knowledge, is the study and practice of safeguarding and improving the well-being of individuals and community. It includes the promotion of healthy lifestyles, the prevention of diseases and efforts to control infectious illnesses,” said Prof Rhoda.

She said it should be remembered that public health encompasses more than a simple field of study, it’s a commitment to service, and a promise to make a positive impact in the world. She is confident that this new programme will contribute significantly to the academic prestige of the UFS and will be a source of innovative solutions to the complex health challenges of the times.

Programmes in high demand

According to Prof Joyce Tsoka-Gwegweni, Vice-Dean: Research, Transformation, and Marketing and Head of the DPH, they only enrolled the first cohort of students in the second semester of 2023.

“During that time, we enrolled six Master of Public Health students and 14 PhDs. This year we enrolled 26 students, 13 in each programme. Currently we have 46 students. 19 Masters’ of Public Health and 27 PhD students, of which 90% are black female students. We also have international students from Lesotho, Namibia and Kenya. The quality of our students is very high. They are already working in health-related institutions and most of them are in leadership positions.

“For the coming year, 2025, we have already received 224 applications for the Master of Public Health programme and 30 for the PhD. We can only accommodate 30. Our programmes are already in high demand nationally and on the continent. They address a range of public health topics of national and international importance,” said the Vice-Dean.

Prof Tsoka-Gwegweni said because of the quality of staff and the quality and relevance of the programmes, their multidisciplinary nature, sustainability, and responsiveness to local, national and global public health challenges, these programmes are contributing to the UFS vision of achieving academic excellence, quality and impact; maximum societal impact with sustainable relationships; and of achieving a diverse, inclusive equitable university.

Health and prevention are primary

Prof Geoffrey Setswe, the Managing Director of the Aurum Research Institute, delivered the keynote address, saying public health, unlike medicine and nursing is not about treating individual patients, but focuses on the maintenance of promotion of health at a population level. Health and prevention are primary. He also talked about the public health pathways and career options in this field.

The best-known elements of public health, he said, are health promotion, environmental health, surveillance, communicable disease prevention, communication, health equity, emergency preparedness, harm reduction and home visiting programmes.

“The South African public health system is rebuilding itself and working to enhance health and well-being by implementing the NHI that will enable access to high quality, people-centred and integrated health care for all South Africans. Public health training must have multisectoral applications for public health careers, specialisation and advanced education providing life experiences and related expertise for people with diverse origins and ethical motivations,” he said.

According to Prof Setswe, this model will help in the training of public health professionals to deal with the quadruple burden of communicable diseases (HIV, TB, sepsis), non-communicable diseases (cancers, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases), injuries from crime and violence (including GBV), and mental health (including depression, para-suicide, risk behaviour, harmful substance abuse) and maternal and child health.

Click to view document Click and watch the official launch below:

Prof Bonang Mohale, UFS Chancellor, also attended the launched the new Division of Public Health programmes.

Prof Geoffrey Setswe, the managing director of the Aurum Research Institute delivered the keynote address.

Prof Joyce Tsoka-Gwegweni, Vice-Dean: Research, Transformation, and Marketing and Head of the DPH, gave a short history of the DPH.

News Archive

UFS study finds initiation does not build character

2015-06-24

Photo: Canva.com

Initiation at schools and school hostels does not build character or loyalty. On the contrary, it is a violation of human dignity and the rights of children.

This is the opinion of researchers from the University of the Free State’s Faculty of Education after an exploratory study of initiation practices in schools.

Although the use of initiation in schools and school hostels is forbidden by the Regulations to Prohibit Initiation Practices in Schools, the study found that this practice is still widely evident in schools. The study also found that, in some cases, teachers and/or principals take part.

In the study, led by Dr Kevin Teise from the Faculty of Education, it was found that physical deeds and even violence and emotional degradation were inflicted under the guise of ‘initiation’.

The study was discussed recently during a panel discussion between the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Law, and the Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice.

The ‘initiation activities’ that take place during school hours ranged from carrying senior learners’ bags or doing other favours for them, handing over their food or food money, doing senior learners’ homework, and looking down when they speak to senior learners.

In school hostels, it was found that learners were expected to do humiliating things, and were also subjected to physical demands and even violence. Learners pointed out that they were smeared and beaten, their heads pushed into toilets, they had to bath or shower in cold water, they had to eat strange things, and they were prevented from sleeping.

Dr Teise says initiation practices are a general phenomenon in the schools and school hostels that took part in the investigation. Newcomers were subjected to silly and innocent practices, but also to physically and emotionally degrading, and even dangerous ones, before and after school, and during breaks and sports- and cultural gatherings.

“The study’s findings give every indication that the constitutional principles on which the policy document, Regulations to Prohibit Initiation Practices in Schools, is modelled, are not being put into practice and respected at these schools. Policy documents and school rules are pointless if learners, old pupils, parents, teachers, and the broad community consider initiation an acceptable behaviour that is, ostensibly, an inseparable part of school or hostel tradition and of the maturation and/or team-building processes.”

Back

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept