MEDUNSA UPGRADE - University of Limpopo

LIMPOPO LEADER is
published by the Marketing and
Communications Department,
University of Limpopo,
PO Box X1106,
Sovenga 0727,
Limpopo,
South Africa.
HYPERLINK “http://www.ul.ac.za”
www.ul.ac.za
EDITOR: David Robbins.
Tel: 011-792-9951 or
082-787-8099 or
dgrwrite@iafrica.com
ADVERTISING:
Clare-Rose Julius
Tel: 011-791-4561 or
072-545-2366
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE:
DK Mohuba (chairman)
Daphney Kgwebane
David Robbins
Gail Robbins
ARTICLES:
by JANICE HUNT – pages 12, 14,
16, 19, 26 & 31
PHOTOGRAPHS:
by Liam Lynch – pages 1 (top
row 1st; bottom row 3rd & 4th),
7 (bottom) 10, 17, 23 (top)
27 & 29
by Albert Swanepoel – pages
cover, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21 &
IBC
by David Robbins – pages 1
(top row 2nd & 4th; bottom row
1st), 5
by Padi Matlala – pages 7 (top),
8 & 13
by Robbie Sandrock – page 1
(top)
from Mpumalanga DoH –
page 31
DESIGN AND LAYOUT:
Sarita Rheeder-Rosa
JAM STREET DESIGN (Pretoria)
PRINTING: Colorpress (pty) Ltd
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT:
DGR Writing & Research
Tel: 011-791-4561 or
082-572-1682 or
www.dgrwriting.co.za
ARTICLES MAY BE REPRINTED
WITH ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
ISSN: 1812-5468
P A G E 2
EDITORIAL iIT
WAS IN THE WINTER 2008 EDITION OF Limpopo Leader
(NUMBER 14) THAT WE FIRST REPORTED THAT ‘SERIOUS MONEY
FOR UPGRADING MEANS THAT THE MEDICAL SCHOOL (MEDUNSA)
IS STAYING PUT’. IT WAS THIS SERIOUS MONEY, R185-MILLION IN
TOTAL AND EARMARKED FOR infrastructure development and improved
clinical training capacity, that finally put paid to the uncertainty, first
raised by the merger, surrounding Medunsa’s future. Now there’s
irrefutable proof that the money is being advantageously spent. Look at
the stories – and the pictures – on pages 16 to 21 to get a taste of the
major improvements to the Dental Hospital, and Medunsa’s brand new
multi-million rand Skills Centre packed with state-of-the-art equipment.
There’s a lot happening at Turfloop as well, developments that are
impacting on both main campuses of the university. Perhaps the most
significant development is the new research relationship that has been
forged between the University of Limpopo and universities in Belgium
under the banner of VLIR-UOS. Take a look at the story on page 22 to
find out what this relationship means, and how it impacts on the
university’s avowed mission and vision. In short, the VLIR programme will
dominate research on both campuses for years to come. No wonder a
revamped physical infrastructure has been named VLIR House.
Infrastructure of an electronic kind – it’s usually called ICT architecture
– is the subject of the article on page 27. It is actually a profile of the
university’s new Executive Director of ICT, an expert in his field who can,
if he stands up at his desk on the Turfloop campus, see the hills where he
was born. Another profile deals with a rural Limpopo girl who had never
worked on a computer until she started on her first post-graduate degree.
She, later in the United Kingdom, linked more than 100 processors in
parallel to get the materials modelling results she was looking for. Finally,
a Medunsa graduate has become the MEC for Health in a South African
province. His enthusiasm and commitment to improving the health of
ordinary people is an inspiration.
In fact, the entire issue is brim full of inspiration. Read it – and don’t
be afraid to be inspired!
NEXT ISSUE
THERE’S MORE INSPIRATION IN STORE FOR READERS OF Limpopo
Leader 23. It will be an issue devoted to alumni and to that crucial
relationship between alumni and their alma mater. We’ve all heard that
famous dictum of erstwhile American President John F Kennedy: ‘Ask not
what your country can do for you: ask what you can do for your
country’. The central message of our next issue will turn that dictum on its
head. Alumni must ask what their university can do for them quite as
directly as their university should be asking what past students can do for
it. Don’t miss it.