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10 June 2019 | Story Lacea Loader
The executive committee of the University of the Free State (UFS) has today resumed the training of its undergraduate students in the School of Clinical Medicine at the Pelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein with immediate effect.

The decision to suspend the training of undergraduate students at the hospital came after the attempted rape of a medical intern last week, as well as the robbery of a medical officer in the parking area of the hospital over the weekend.

This morning, discussions involving the university management, the Head of the Department of Health (DoH) in the Free State Province, the executive committee of the Pelonomi Hospital, and the South African Police Service (SAPS) took place regarding the security situation at the hospital. The DoH provided the university with a security project plan comprising immediate and medium-term interventions, and a commitment to execute the plan as a matter of urgency. The university’s executive management furthermore met with the management of the Faculty of Health Sciences and, based on a safety risk assessment, the university’s executive management agreed that undergraduate students could again fully access the clinical platform at Pelonomi Hospital.

Interventions in the security project plan include the installation of high-mast lights in the precinct of the hospital, reparation of the perimeter fence, security locks, and limiting access to the hospital and the hospital grounds after 20:00 until 06:00. A Venue Operation Centre (VOC) made up of SAPS, institutional security management, and the Community Policing Forum will also be established at the hospital.

“The main focus and concern for the executive management of the university is the safety of its students and staff. We are satisfied with the security plan and the overall interventions committed to by the DoH and will monitor the implementation of these interventions with the management of the Pelonomi Hospital and the DoH. The security interventions will alleviate the situation at the hospital in order for the university to continue sending its undergraduate students there for training,” said Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, during a media briefing today.

Prof Petersen also met with undergraduate students in the Schools of Clinical Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health Professions today to discuss the situation at the hospital. Trauma counselling is provided to undergraduate students and staff and those in need of counselling at the Pelonomi Hospital.

The DoH has furthermore extended its bus service between the clinical platforms in Bloemfontein to students in need of transport of the School of Clinical Medicine according to time slots as from the beginning of the second semester. This service will ultimately be extended to undergraduate students in the Schools of Nursing and Allied Health Professions. “We will also look into further transport solutions for the longer term for our students,” said Prof Petersen.

Undergraduate students from the university’s Schools of Clinical Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health Professions are trained on the clinical platforms in Bloemfontein – these include the Pelonomi Hospital, Universitas Hospital, National Hospital, the Mangaung University Community Partnership Programme (MUCPP), and the Free State Psychiatric Complex.

Although these clinical training platforms are under the jurisdiction of the DoH in the Free State Province, they form a critical part of the training of undergraduate students in the university’s Faculty of Health Sciences. Staff on the joint establishment of the UFS and the DoH also work at hospitals on the clinical platforms.

Released by:
Lacea Loader (Director: Department of Communication and Marketing)
Telephone: +27 51 401 2584 | +27 83 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za | loaderl@ufs.ac.za


News Archive

Kovsie first-years get ready for great things
2011-01-16

Prof. Jonathan Jansen (Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS) with two of the first-year students.
- Photo: Lize-Mare Smit

“One thing I can assure you: here academic work comes first.” This was how Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State (UFS), set first-years parents’ minds at ease during the welcoming events of the first-years on the Main Campus the past weekend. 

The welcoming events, which took place over two days, were attended by a total of 7 000 first-years and their parents from across the country. 
 
Prof. Jansen also told the students and their parents that they were at the best place, by sharing his excitement about all the new students who decided to come and study at Kovsies. “You have overcome major obstacles in order to be here today,” he said at the welcoming.
 
With more than 90% new students who comply with admission requirements, this group of students promises to become true leaders of South Africa.
 
Prof. Jansen shared a few plans for the year with the audience. “As in 2010, we shall once again send a group of first-year students to universities later this year, not only in America, but amongst others also to Europe and Asian countries, amongst others, to learn more about different cultures and diversity. We aim to double the number of students who will be selected to 150 this year.” We can also look forward to, amongst others, a brand-new entrance and gymnasium for the Main Campus and four new hostels, two of which will be built on the Qwaqwa Campus.
 
Prof. Jansen emphasised the seriousness with which academic work had to be regarded, by referring to the compulsory class attendance that was implemented last year. “Since the inception of this arrangement in 2010, there was a 30% increase in students’ pass rate,” he said.
 
This year, for the first time, honorary awards were also given to young people who had rendered an exceptional service to the community. Anél Kleingeld, a 10-year-old learner from Trompsburg, and Mpho Phahlo from the UFS’s Unit for Students with Disabilities proudly received these awards. Anél made a remarkable contribution to George’s community when she encouraged learners from her` school to collect and deliver 700 litres of water for this community. Mpho made a point of assisting and motivating persons with disabilities at Kovsies to work hard on a daily basis.
 
 

 

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