NWU’S medical school plan taking off

Covid strengthens university’s case

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the enormous stress and burden placed on South Africa’s medical professionals have dramatically strengthened the North West University’s (NWU) case for a medical school in the province.

Official NWU documents suggest that despite competing interests and financial pressures due to Covid-19, the pandemic has highlighted the need for such a facility.

“This is a matter that we will continue to pursue because we strongly believe that the new NWU Medical School would address the needs of prospective students and the public in terms of enrolment opportunities and public health in our country,” remarked NWU council chairperson Dr Bismark Tyobeka, after the recent council meeting on March 18.

The medical school task team, also led by Tyobeka, was established to investigate the case for such a facility.

The other task team members are Prof Dan Kgwadi (NWU vice-chancellor and principal), Prof Awie Kotzé (dean: NWU faculty of health sciences), Prof Andrew Robinson (deputy dean: strategy and business development at the same faculty) and Terry Wickham (consultant from Healthcare Initiatives).

In its latest report, the task team stated that the next step would be to secure urgent meetings with the North West premier, the provincial department of health, the national Department of Health and Blade Nzimande, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation.

A meeting took place with the North West provincial leadership on March 26 during which a joint task team was established.

The possibility of establishing a medical school was mooted as long ago as 2006, but it was only in 2017 that planning moved into high gear.

Once final approval is granted by the relevant authorities, the NWU will become the 11th university medical school in the country.

Earlier this year, the focus was on the Nelson Mandela University, after its launch of the 10th and newest medical school in South Africa. Located in the Eastern Cape, the university announced it was looking forward to welcoming its first cohort of medical students.

Only 50 places were available, but over 3 500 applications were received, highlighting the exceptionally high demand for medical training at the very limited number of medical schools in the country.