Dear Colleagues

Today as we commemorate Workers Day I would like to take this opportunity to commend you on the work that you do not only for the Faculty of Health Sciences but also South Africa. Your hard work uplifts the community and ensures that we educate, empower and save lives.

The Faculty remains committed towards ensuring the welfare and good conditions for workers. As we commemorate Workers Day let’s take some time out to appreciate our colleagues and recognize the challenging conditions that many across the world are faced with. To our Health Care Workers on the frontline who are delivering essential services in hospitals, pathology and screening laboratories you have our undying support. You are all making a significant contribution towards fighting the COVID-19 pandemic on various levels and for that, I salute you.

Online teaching and learning will commence on 4 May 2020. Let’s use all the resources at our disposal to ensure that teaching continues and that we complete the academic year successfully. For colleagues working from home please use the time productively. Afterall, “Action is key”. After we had time to study the Minister’s recommendation on the return of students, we will communicate decisions and action plans.

There may be a lot of uncertainty and anxiety but I urge you to remain hopeful and to be kind to yourselves. As Thich Nhat Hanh once said “Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.”

Any staff member who may be in distress please contact on [email protected]/[email protected].

Counselling services are available to you via Skype video call or WhatsApp. For after-hours emergencies you can contact UP Care Line on 0800 747 747 and UP Crisis Line on 0800 006 428.

Together we will overcome this pandemic and we will continue to be #LifeChangers.

Kind Regards,

Prof Tiaan de Jager

Dean: Faculty of Health Sciences