The Department of Nursing Science is leading an initiative which aims to strengthen efforts to ensure the gradual safe return of staff and students to campuses.

The project has provided training, conducted via Microsoft Teams, for Campus Protection Services (CPS) as well as heads of departments and faculties and cleaning services.

“The focus was mainly on personal safety, wearing of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), access control and measuring temperature,” said Prof Karien Jooste, Head of the Department of Nursing Science. Jooste drew up a training programme for nurse educators who are experts in Occupational Health to provide the training. The training was coordinated and facilitated by the department’s Natalie Copeling and her team. 

The project was conducted in liaison with Human Capital: Learning and Development and Melanie Marais, Head of HIV/AIDS Unit as well as Campus Health Clinics.
CPS and cleaning staff were provided with information specifically tailored for their role in the processes.
According to Jooste, training of the CPS staff focused on the part that these staff will play in the screening of temperatures. “Training also included the use of interpersonal skills to address the possible fears and uncertainty that staff may have in relation to both the screening process and the return to campus within the constraints of our ‘new normal’”.

She added that the training for cleaning services staff will reinforce the way of cleaning, where to clean specifically and the chemicals used for the cleaning and disinfecting processes. Information sessions are also offered to all CPUT staff to provide a clearer idea of how to prepare the campus for the return of staff and students as well as what to expect on return.
“Participating in training is a constructive way to give back to the community and is in line with the slogan of the department: Carers for the future!” said Jooste.

The initiative comes as the department marks the Year of Nurse and the Midwife. This year has been designated as the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife by the World Health Organisation to mark the bicentenary of the birth of the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale and to recognise the critical contribution nurses make to global health.

Marais said training for peer educators in residences had also been provided.

The Nursing Science Department encouraged the CPUT community to continue:

• washing hands regularly
• practising social distancing
• wearing a mask

Written by Ilse Fredericks
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

As CPUT celebrates the coming launch of Golden Key, the institution recognises one of its own who has recently achieved membership status.

Dr Ashraf Mohammed, Head of Department for the HIV/AIDS Unit, completed his postgraduate studies at the University of Cape Town where he developed his profile in the medical field.

His doctoral thesis focused on the aspects of a tuberculosis (TB) screening test developed, which was subsequently included in the national guideline to HIV-positive patients.

Prior to graduating with his qualification, Dr Mohammed published several papers for peer review and submitted data to global medical bodies such as the Centre for Disease Control and the World Health Organisation to be included in their meta-analysis studies.

As a result of these fine academic achievements, he was invited to become a member of the Society earlier this year.

Written by CPUT News
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In a collaborative project between the departments of Food Science and Technology and Environmental and Occupational Studies, in association with the Agrifood Technology Station, Environmental Health students will be training St Helena Bay's local community.

This Service Learning (SL) project was initiated in 2019, following a request by the Weskusmandjie women’s group to collaborate with the Department of Food Science and Technology to train and develop the local communities in areas of assurance and good manufacturing practices including but not limited to:

• Food handling, safety, hygiene
• cold chain
• heating and cooling
• possibly product development and
• packaging within community groups of fisherwomen and fishermen.

Weskusmandjie is a small business of about 10 informal fisherwomen with the ambition to bring back the local custom of their community by evolving and trading an assortment of local shoreline harvests that pull on their traditional bionetwork.

Department of Environmental and Occupational Studies Lecturer, Likentso Shuping, says the Weskusmandjie group requested specific training in food hygiene practices and Regulation R638, which is a regulation governing general hygiene requirement for food premises, the transport of food and related matter, and the Five Keys to Safer Food which was developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to address food safety-related issued in developing and underdeveloped countries.  

Food Technology Department Lecturer, Dr Sune Hennings says the project involved the training of fisherwomen in good manufacturing practices with “the aim of empowering these women to improve their fishery products for them to improve and ensure the quality therefore so that they may market the products in and outside their local market”.

“This project runs in collaboration with ABALOBI, a Gender, and Women in Fisheries programme, which aims to ensure that all their work is gender-sensitive and contributes towards the economic empowerment of women in the small scale fishers.”

Hennings adds that Weskusmandjie requested specific training in food hygiene and fish processing. “The Weskusmandjie is eager to enhance their product range and to improve the quality and packaging thereof, with the aim of marketing their products to other small shops and to start a small catering business - therefore, they requested more training workshops for 2021.”

Shuping says this gives students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the Food Industry and to improve their communication and learning skills while also getting students to participate in the SL project. “The project facilitates students in gaining practical experience by working in groups, but also individually, and for them to apply the fundamentals they learned in first-year Microbiology, Chemistry, Food Technology, communication skills, and computer skills to a real-life project,” Shuping continues

 “While students felt that they were making a contribution to the community’s needs, these SL projects are developed in such a way that it incorporates knowledge and skills across several subjects.”

Student, Inga Dlula says it’s an overwhelming moment for her and “a bit scary because it is the first time I am participating in a project. “Even though I’m scared I’m expecting to learn and come up with something that could help me in the future and the Environmental Health Practitioner is all about helping people and enforcing rules for better health for all the people in improving their work for the greater good.”

Another student, Rorisang Mahlase says: “Our aim is to equip the women at St Helena Bay with the best tools and information with regards to food safety, to make sure that they have a business model that is safe and sustainable.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

“Make your well-being a priority and feed your body healthy food as this is your first wealth.”

This is the message from Department of Biotechnology and Consumer Science lecturer Theloshni Govender, who offers wellness tips, which serve as an educational tool to assist students in making informed and healthier food choices.  “There are many opportunities for students to make an informed healthier decision when it comes to food choices. The wellness tips provided is a start in the right direction,” Govender explains.

She offers the following tips:

• Make fruit and vegetables part of every meal.
• Try a new fruit and vegetable weekly.
• Focus on whole foods and reduce convenience foods
• Reduce portion sizes by using a smaller plate during mealtime.
• Drink at least six glasses of water daily.
• Have a vegan or vegetarian meal at least twice a week.
• Include more sustainable fish in your meal.
• Consume legumes and lentils at least three times a week.
• Have your favourite meals in moderation.
• Limit salt and sugary foods.
• Use herbs and spices to add flavour to your food.
• Plan your meals weekly, as this will eliminate your indulging in unhealthy foods.
• Prioritise sleep - at least eight hours a day.
• Exercise for 30 minutes a day.

Govender adds that obesity is a global pandemic and a public health problem in South Africa, which is illustrated by the national health survey results, which show an increase in obesity in young adults.  “The main drivers for the increase in obesity include poor eating habits, the marketing of processed foods which are high in fat, and sugar-rich beverages, insufficient physical activity and buying unhealthy food.”

She says according to the World Health Organisation, obesity greatly increases the risk of developing chronic diseases, such as type two diabetes, high blood pressure and some cancers. “Also, there are recent studies which showed that the obese COVID-19 patients get more complications and they take longer to recover.”

Her favourite quote is by Heather Morgan: “Every time you eat or drink, you are either feeding disease or fighting it” For more wellness tips, please contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce