Faculty members
Dr Claire Armour Barrett
Dr Claire Armour Barrett is a born and bred KOVSIE, completing her MBChB in 1999, a Post Graduate Diploma in Transfusion Medicine in 2009 and MMed in Internal Medicine in 2016.
She is the Head of Research and Development at the School of Clinical Medicine at the UFS. Claire is passionate about PBM (Patient Blood Management) and Blood Health, which is her research focus area.
Together with her colleagues at the South African National Blood Service, she has developed the first university-based Short Learning Programme for Medical Doctors in PBM in Africa.
Dr Reinier Swart
Dr. Reinier Swart is a specialized anaesthesiologist practicing at Mediclinic Nelspruit in Mpumalanga, South Africa. He earned his MBChB from the University of Pretoria in 2012, followed by DA (SA) in 2015 and FCA (SA) in 2019 from the Colleges of Medicine.
With core competencies in Regional Anaesthesia and General Anaesthesiology Dr. Swart has contributed to academic research, including studies on intubation techniques during COVID-19 and mechanical ventilation in ICU settings .
He remains active in professional development as an organizer of the Lowveld Anaesthetic & Peri-operative Medicine Symposium (LAPOMS) and participates in international initiatives like the World Day of Regional Anaesthesia.
Dr Shivani Chirkut
Dr Shivani Chirkut qualified with a medical degree at the University of Cape Town and went on to complete a Masters degree in Bioethics and Health Law at University of Witwatersrand.
For a number of years, she has been involved in Clinical Ethics training of doctors and specialists in the state sector. Furthermore, with her special interest in Medical Law, Dr Chirkut has been instrumental in both the academic and applied training of various stakeholders from both the Medical and Legal fraternities involved in the multidisciplinary management of patients involved in criminal aspects of the law. She has extensive experience as a medical expert witness in court.
Prior to joining MPS as a Medicolegal Consultant, Dr Chirkut worked mainly in the field of Clinical Forensics.
Dr Sadé Hendricks
Dr Sadé Hendricks is a specialist anaesthetist working at the Port Elizaebth Hospital Complex in the Eastern Cape. She obtained her undergraduate qualification from UCT and went on to specialize at Stellenbosch University.
Her areas of interest are paediatric anaesthesia but she has also, through necessity, developed a keen interest in medical education, research and specifically research ethics. Sadé serves on the SASA council where she is the co-chair of the TIDE (transformation, inclusivity, diversity and equity) committee. She is also an active member of the SASA EC branch executive and PACSA council.
Out of the office, Sadé can usually be found reading, enjoying wine, or chasing after her busy 5 year old daughter; oftentimes, all at the same time!
A/Prof Edwin W Turton
A/Prof Edwin W Turton is the head of the Department of Anaesthesiology at the University of the Free State and Bloemfontein hospitals complex since 2018. He previously led the clinical unit for cardiothoracic anaesthesia at the same institution (2011–2015) and served as Co-director and head of adult cardiac anaesthesia at the Heart Centre in Leipzig, Germany (2015–2018).
His clinical interests include adult and paediatric cardiac anaesthesia, with a vision for affordable, wearable wireless monitoring for all perioperative patients.
An enthusiastic open water swimmer, his recent achievements include a solo skins swim from Robben Island to Bloubergstrand in March 2023, and his dream (BHAG) is to swim the English Channel.
Dr Alex Kuhn
Dr. Alex Kuhn is an orthopaedic surgeon based in Nelspruit, with 27 years of clinical experience. He has a special interest in arthroplasty, performing approximately 300 procedures annually, and is dedicated to advancing fast-tracking and minimally invasive surgical techniques.
Dr. Kuhn serves as a consultant to ZimmerBiomet, focusing on surgeon education in anterior hip surgery as well as all aspects of knee replacement, including partial, total, and revision procedures.
He is married to an anaesthetist, a partnership that offers both unique challenges and valuable professional insights.
A/Prof Feziwe Bisiwe
Feziwe Busiswa Bisiwe is an Associate Professor and certified nephrologist heading the Nephrology Division at University of the Free State and Universitas Academic Hospital in Bloemfontein. She obtained her MBChB from Walter Sisulu University and completed Internal Medicine specialist training from UFS with an MMed. (int.med) and a Fellowship from the college of Physicians of South Africa (CMSA). During her sub-specialty training, she completed hemodialysis online course (HOC) and Transplant online course (TOC) from the Sheffield Kidney Institute, UK.
At the UFS, she is involved in various leadership committees at the School of Medicine and Faculty of Health Sciences, and she teaches and supervises research of undergraduate and postgraduate students. She is currently serving as the Treasurer of the South African Nephrology Association(SANS).
Prof Bisiwe has a broad scope of clinical practice that includes general nephrology work, interventional nephrology procedures, administrative managerial duties and managing patients in various forms of kidney replacement therapy. She has a special interest in genetic predisposition and treatment outcomes of Lupus Nephritis in Africans, and kidney transplant medicine.
Beyond clinical medicine, Prof Bisiwe is a mother to Mihle & Iminathi, and she is an avid social runner.
Dr Nadia du Plessis
Nadia du Plessis is a specialist anaesthesiologist at the University of the Free State. She has a special interest in cardiothoracic and paediatric anaesthesia and pain management.
Nadia is also involved with the UFS Sedation and Pain management short course.
When not at work, she enjoys being a mother to her human child and dog children and swimming and hiking.
Dr Lerato Khoele
Dr. Lerato Khoele is an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist practicing from Riverside Medical Centre based in Nelspruit.
With a passion for women’s health. Dr. Khoele provides compassionate and personalized care to her patients, from prenatal care to routine check-ups and complex surgeries.
Her biggest accomplishment is being a mother to her two children.
BSC Biological (UOFS), MBSCB (Medunsa), MMED in Obs and Gynae (University of Pret), FCOG(SA)
Dr Lerato Motjale
I am a HPCSA registered Specialist in
paediatrics, consulting at a public
tertiary institution and running a
practise in private.
I am an advocate for
quality child health care.