The new Covid-19 subvariant EG.5 – also known as Eris – has made its way into South Africa with the first case reported in Gauteng in mid-August.
This after it crossed the borders of China, the United States, South Korea, Japan, Canada, Australia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, France, Portugal and Spain.
Dr Hazel Mufhandu, senior lecturer and virologist at the North-West University (NWU), tells us more about Eris.
Without quality oversight, output suffers. Without transparency, deception thrives. Misinformation and misinterpretation are propagated to become the norm as fiction becomes indistinguishable from fact. In a developing country such as South Africa that faces a multitude of challenges, this cannot be allowed.
An example of this is an economy that is increasingly struggling to awake from a prolonged slumber caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, rolling blackouts and widespread corruption in institutions fundamental to the health of the country.
“The watershed 15th BRICS Summit that took place in Johannesburg had, to its credit, several runs on the scoreboard by the time it concluded last week.”
Prof Raymond Parsons, economist from the North-West University (NWU) Business School, says while the outcomes were inevitably a complex amalgam of politics, economics and business, the overall BRICS profile and agenda have been taken to the next level.
A recent study conducted by Dr Joan Dikobe from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Nursing Science sheds light on the lived experiences of nurses as they cared for patients diagnosed with Covid-19.
As frontline healthcare workers, they are fundamental to the healthcare system, and play a crucial role in ensuring the continuity and quality of care to the patient.
Dr Dikobe says the study aimed to examine the physical, psychological, and social experiences of nurses as they provided care to Covid-19 patients in the North West province.
The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Health Sciences is proud to host its Community Engagement Colloquium from 2 to 4 October 2023 at its Vanderbijlpark Campus.
In an intriguing joint announcement, the Walter Sisulu and North-West universities unveiled the astounding results of their preclinical trials for a groundbreaking combination vaccine against tuberculosis (TB) and Covid-19. The universities reported an unprecedented 100% protection in vaccinated animals – a significant step forwards in the unrelenting battle against tuberculosis, one of the world's most devastating diseases.
The lack of qualified nurses is placing a stranglehold on the public health sector in South Africa, but through its commitment to bettering the lives of all South Africans, the North-West University (NWU) is helping to loosen this suffocating grip.
A recent study by the South African Nursing Council (SANC) estimates that there is only one nurse for every 218 patients in the country, with a need for tens of thousands more.
Prof Rose Hayeshi, associate professor at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) DSI/NWU Preclinical Drug Development Platform has just returned from the United Kingdom after a week-long innovation boot camp at the University of Oxford.
Prof Hayeshi was one of the 10 participants selected to deliver demo pitches, after which her presentation was chosen as one of the top five pitches.
Golden Key Southern Africa recently held a ceremony at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Vanderbijlpark Campus to recognise and welcome new Golden Key International Honour Society members. The event celebrated the achievements of more than 200 members who were inaugurated.
Mentoring adds value at many levels for mentees, mentors and supervisors and can benefit all parties involved. Developing this relationship helps the parties to learn new things, build their networks, and grow as professionals.
To ensure success in the mentoring relationship, the Faculty of Humanities at the North-West University (NWU) developed two short courses to prepare mentors and mentees for their roles: