Student Health Services (SHS) remains committed to assisting all students with health and wellness-related queries during the COVID-19 lockdown period.
Students can direct their health and wellness queries to any health professional at the University of Pretoria SHS for medical advice.
Please read through the FAQ below for more information on our services and how you can stay healthy during this time.
Yes. SHS is available for medical advice during this period. In case a student needs medical advice the SHS can be contacted via the following avenues:
[email protected] or they can visit our
website for more information and self-help material.
Yes. If a student needs a doctor or an emergency prescription, SHS made the following arrangements with one of our campus doctors:
- An appointment can be made at the practice
- Practice reception: 012 072 0032/ [email protected]/ 076 880 7678 (WhatsApp) The practice is situated at Loftus Medical across UP.
- SMS/ WhatsApp 061 542 4696
- Email:[email protected]
Please note, the doctor’s consultations are FREE for UP students, but do not include any medication. A prescription will be given which can be presented at a pharmacy of your choice.
Kindly take note of the following:
All students should take everyday preventive actions that reduce the likelihood of transmitting respiratory illnesses:
- Avoid close contact with others that are sick
- Cover your mouth and nose and use proper cough etiquette when coughing/sneezing
- Avoid touching area around your mouth, nose and eyes whenever possible
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds when available, or alcohol-based hand sanitisers when soap/water are not available
- Stay home when sick - remain at home or in your dorm until fever (above 37.5C) has been gone for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicines
- Contact Student Health Services if you have questions or concerns about your status
- If you become ill, contact your Student Health Services medical provider or seek immediate medical care if symptoms become more severe, e.g. high fever or difficulty breathing
- For after-hours care, call security at 012 420 2310/ 2760 or 083 654 0476/ 0800 00640 28
- Be alert for campus communications regarding your campus COVID-19 status, and further advice or actions being taken by your campus, such as alteration in class scheduling, event cancellation, facilities closure, or other actions. Your campus will be working closely with public health authorities to make these determinations
- Referrals, where applicable, are still required for services outside of the Student Health Services
A few health care tips:
Not every illness or minor discomfort warrants a trip to SHS. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is treat yourself to a little self-care and avoid spreading your germs around campus.
- Acute Vaginitis
Vaginal inflammation that results in irregular discharge, itching, and pain during sex or urination is called vaginitis. Bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections and the sexually transmitted trichomoniasis are all forms of vaginitis.
What to Do
Generally, it’s a good idea to see a doctor in most cases of vaginal discomfort, especially if you’re sexually active or experiencing fever, chills, or pelvic pain. If you’ve had a yeast infection in the past and are confident in your ability to self-diagnose, you can try treating it with an over-the-counter medication like Monistat (or a generic—they’re just as effective as prescription medications). If your symptoms persist after treatment, make an appointment online or send a message to the nurse.
If the discomfort and discharge aren’t enough to put your sex life on hold for a few days, keep in mind that the inflammation caused by trichomoniasis and bacterial vaginosis could put you at greater risk of getting an STI.
- Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
Did you know that UTIs are among the most common infections in people? While older adults are particularly prone to contracting a UTI, sexually active adults (especially people with vaginas) are at risk, too.
UTIs are caused by bacteria that has entered the opening of the bladder. These bacteria could come from anywhere, especially your anus. Keep your urinary tract happier by peeing before and after sex, staying well hydrated, and generally not putting anything like powders or sprays near your genital area.
What to Do
If you’re experiencing painful and frequent urination, a low fever, cloudy or bloody urine, and/or lower abdominal cramping, call SHS. Most UTIs affect the bladder, but the infection could spread to your kidneys, causing symptoms like high fever, night sweats, nausea, and confusion or disorientation.
A doctor can determine if the infection is a bladder infection, kidney infection, or a symptom of something else, like an STI. Most UTIs are successfully treated with antibiotics.
- Abdominal Pain and Digestive Issues
Nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhoea, gas, bloating, heartburn…there is no shortage of gastrointestinal issues you might experience.
What to Do
Contact SHS, ([email protected]) if you are experiencing discomfort or pain that lasts more than a few days. If you are in severe pain, have persistent nausea and/or vomiting, tenderness or swelling in your abdomen, or your skin appears yellow, get help immediately.
Take care of your GI tract by eating fibre-rich foods (like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables) and staying hydrated. Eating smaller meals and slowing down while you eat can help prevent indigestion and heartburn. Light exercise can ease constipation and bloating.
- Low Back Pain
Back pain is most often caused by a strain or a sprain from improper lifting, bad posture, or lack of exercise. Most back pain will go away on its own, but more serious injuries like vertebral fractures or ruptured disks require a doctor’s care.
What to Do
Resting in bed can help you feel more comfortable but be advised that inactivity for more than a day can do more harm than good. Over-the-counter pain relievers as well as hot or cold compresses may help ease the pain. Contact SHS ([email protected]) if your back pain is accompanied by weakness, numbness, or tingling that spreads down one or both legs. Unintended weight loss and swelling or redness on your back could also be signs of a more serious issue. Get emergency medical help if your back pain comes along with new bowel/bladder control issues.
- Headaches
A headache can be any type of pain in your head—one side or both, throbbing or vice-like, sharp or dull. A headache can happen suddenly or gradually, and last for a few minutes or a few days. Headaches can be caused by dehydration, alcohol, caffeine withdrawal, processed foods, stress, lack of sleep… Are you surprised that a lot of college students suffer from headaches?
A headache can also be a sign of a more serious condition, like a concussion, meningitis, an aneurysm, or encephalitis.
What to Do
Seek emergency medical help if you are experiencing confusion, fainting, high fever, vomiting (unless you know it’s just your hangover), or having trouble doing things like walking, speaking, or understanding speech. If your headaches are occurring more frequently or severely than usual, don’t improve with the help of over-the-counter medicines, or are getting in the way of your participation in daily activities, you should consult a medical provider.
- Strep Throat
Wondering if your sore throat might be strep? Only a throat swab from a doctor can tell you if you’ve been infected with Streptococcus bacteria. Call SHS if your sore throat is accompanied by fever, red and swollen tonsils (maybe with some white patches or streaks), red spots on the roof of your mouth, and/or swollen lymph nodes in the front of your neck. If you do indeed have strep, a round of antibiotics can help you recover more quickly, as well as prevent complications like a rheumatic fever.
If your voice is hoarse or raspy and you have a runny nose or cough, it’s more likely that you have a virus and not strep—and antibiotics won’t help you.
What to Do
Whether it’s strep throat or a virus, limit your contact with others, step up your hand washing, and disinfect high-touch surfaces until your illness subsides.
- Bronchitis (Chest Cold)
Coughing caused by swollen airways in the lungs and increased mucus production is called bronchitis, or a chest cold. You may feel a soreness in your chest and throat, mild head and body aches, and fatigue. A low fever is common, too.
What to Do
Acute bronchitis will usually go away on its own, antibiotics are generally not needed. Contact SHS if your fever goes above 37.5C, you’re having trouble breathing, your mucus is thick or bloody, or your symptoms last more than three weeks.
A humidifier or cool mist vaporiser may help soothe your cough. Steamy showers and non-medicated cough drops can offer relief as well.
- Upper Respiratory Infection (Common Cold)
Sore throat, runny nose, coughing, and sneezing—most adults have had a pesky cold at some point in their life.
What to Do
While there is no cure for the common cold, over-the-counter medicines can help ease symptoms. Get lots of rest and drink plenty of fluids. Contact SHS if you have a fever over 37.5C or if your symptoms last more than 10 days.
Avoid spreading your cold by staying home and avoiding close contact with others. (That means no kissing, hugging, or even shaking hands.) Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your upper shirt sleeve, completely covering your nose and mouth. Wash your hands constantly and disinfect surfaces that you touch often.
- The flu
The flu tends to come on more suddenly than a common cold. Symptoms include fever (above 37.5C), headache, achy muscles, cold sweat, dry cough, fatigue, nasal congestion, and sore throat.
What to Do
If you get the flu, it’s important to take good care of yourself and avoid spreading the disease to others. As soon as you start to feel flu-like symptoms, call SHS or send a message through Patient Connect to ask for advice. Unless you are experiencing difficulty breathing, chest or abdominal pain, dizziness or persistent vomiting, you may not even need to see a doctor. Stay in bed! Drink plenty of fluids and take an over-the-counter fever reducer like Tylenol or Advil (but avoid aspirin, as it can cause a serious brain disease in flu sufferers). Ask a friend to be your “flu buddy” and pick up assignments, food, tissues, and other supplies.
- Wear a mask to go to the bathroom in your dorm or any other time you are in public
- Wash your hands thoroughly and often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- Disinfect high-touch surfaces, e.g. door knobs, key boards and cell phones with a disinfectant cloth
If you live off campus or in graduate housing, stay home until any fever you may have has subsided for a minimum of 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medications). For most flu sufferers, this will take about four days. If your family home is close to campus, consider spending your recovery time at home.
Referral Services
Primary Health Care strives to offer timely urgent care right here on campus. We also work with a number of local health care providers for more comprehensive or specialised services.
Pregnancy Counselling Services
University of Pretoria offers Pregnancy Counselling Referral Services onsite in the DSA building, during school semesters. An appointment can be made at SHS and at the Student Counselling Unit. The onsite services available in the DSA building is: Crossroads Pregnancy Help Centre Counselling Services. Crossroads Counsellors are also available on:
Dental Care
University of Pretoria does not have qualified dentists on campus but to keep your smile in shape during your time at UP you may be referred to the Dental Clinic in Prinshof Campus or if you are on a Medical Aid Scheme, you may use the dentist of your choice or the ones next to the university as you are responsible for any charges that may occur.
Vision Care
Need new eyeglasses or contacts or you have problem with your vision? If you are enrolled in UP, there is an optometrist who comes in every Wednesday, during school hours, at Hatfield Campus. Appointments can be made at other campuses as well. The consultation is free and depending on the outcome of the consultation there may be a charge for things such as glasses and contact lenses.
Radiology
X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs SHS does not offer any Radiological Services but they refer out to Tshwane District Hospital and private hospitals. There is also a radiology site at the Hatmed medical facilities next to Hatfield campus that offers a student rate to UP enrolled students.
Laboratory Tests
Blood Work & More
SHS does not have an on-site lab for some basic testing, we may need to send your specimen to an outside lab for more advanced processing. Lancet does most laboratory testing for registered students of University of Pretoria at a discount.
Allergy Shots
SHS does not provide allergy shots, but we can point you to a local practice that does.
Travel Medicine
Going abroad? You may need certain vaccines or preventative care to stay healthy, check for the most up-to-date guidelines. If you need travel health services, make an appointment at a local travel clinic, there is one at the Hatmed Centre.
If you are doing international research or another programme that will involve contact with patients and/or blood-borne pathogens, please review the guidelines.
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