Message from the Chairperson

Tuition message from the Academic Chairperson

The Department of Health Studies has kept pace with developments globally and has over the years played a major role in the production of human resources for health, especially nurses and midwives. Academic programmes presented are in line with the country’s strategy for the development of human resources for health. The Department offers an undergraduate bachelors degree. At postgraduate level, honours, masters and doctoral degrees are offered. The response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic is marked by the number of dissertations and theses that address a variety of aspects dealing with HIV/AIDS. These include the impact of HIV/AIDS on individuals, families, communities and workplaces; home-based care and the response of governments to HIV/AIDS.

As a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for postgraduate distance education and research in nursing and midwifery development, the Department provides support in the preparation of senior health professionals, especially those in Africa. In this regard, two projects are worth mentioning. The Kellogg’s foundation project aims at enhancing nurse leadership in SADC. The foundation has provided funding to the University for students from South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, to pursue doctoral studies in nursing. The Angola project funded through the South Africa Norway Tertiary Education Development Programme (SANTED) to foster co-operation between institutions in the SADC region, and has produced  a critical mass of nurse leaders in Angola who, on completion of their masters degrees is developing their own structured programmes in health services management and advanced midwifery.  

The programmes offered by the Department of Health Studies are in line with the requirements of the HEQF which was inforced from 2009.

The Bridging course for enrolled nurses which was inherited by the department after the merging of tertiary institutions will be phasing out with the last intake in 2010.

The achievements of the Department are as a result of a committed stable team of academic and administrative personnel. This team of men and women provides a service of exceptional excellence and high professional standard and thus support me in my efforts to lead the Department. I am truly proud to be surrounded by such an outstanding and dynamic team.