Prof Stanley Mukhola, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Teaching, Learning and Technology; Dr Carin Boshoff, Acting Head of Department Biomedical Sciences; Prof Ingrid Mokgobu, Acting Executive Dean Faculty of Science; and Prof Koleka Mlisana NHLS Executive Manager: Academic Affairs, Research & Quality Assurance during the signing of the agreement.
According to Dr Carin Boshoff, acting Head of the Department of Biomedical Sciences, eight South African universities signed the agreement in support of the NHLS mandate to support and undertake the training of pathologists, medical scientists, medical technologists and medical technicians. “The NHLS has joint appointment arrangements with all universities with medical schools and some with dental schools. It also has a formal relationship with a number of comprehensive universities and universities of technology.”
The National Health Laboratory Service is the largest diagnostic pathology service in South Africa, with the responsibility of supporting the national and provincial health departments in the delivery of healthcare. The NHLS provides laboratory and related public health services to over 80% of the population through a national network of laboratories. Its specialised institutes include the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), the National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOH), and the South African Vaccine Producers (SAVP), as its subsidiary.
Signing the umbrella agreement on behalf of TUT, Prof Stanley Mukhola, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Teaching, Learning and Technology, pointed out the importance of this ground-breaking agreement in relation to the establishment of research niche areas as well as the mutual provision of the NHLS and the participating universities of their staff, facilities and services to the benefit of all students as well as the South Africa public.
“South Africa’s health system consists of a large public sector that serves the poorer majority of South Africans and a private sector serving mostly the 17% who have medical insurance. This agreement will enable TUT as well as the NHLS to deliver on their mandate to conduct joint projects related to the provision of healthcare, community engagement, supporting healthcare research and providing training for health science education, all in furtherance of our mutual obligations and mandate as well as to provide a pathology and laboratory service for public sector users.”
The NHLS has approximately 266 laboratories cross the country, ranging from highly sophisticated central academic laboratories to laboratories in the most distant rural hospitals. The NHLS provide a huge volume of cutting edge HIV and tuberculosis (TB) services, which form the backbone of the country’s highly acclaimed services that are bringing down these disease burdens.
To contact Dr Carin Boshoff:
Tel: +27 12 382-6422
Email: BoshoffCI@tut.ac.za