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OUR HEALTH

OurHealth is a project that trains and supports local activists and aspiring health journalists. Our citizen journalists (CJs)  live in rural and poorly-covered areas in South Africa, and report on health issues affecting their communities.

3d render crime scene tape against blurred city background 1 scaled

Family in the dark a month after Limpopo psych ward shooting 

According to police, Ledwaba was allegedly attacked by another patient who was found on top of his bloodied body during a violent altercation on March 8.
doctors preparing for operation

‘Doctors left scissors inside me,’ claims EC woman after operation  

Nomveliso Nqketho is seeking answers after surgical scissors were allegedly left inside her during an emergency operation.
Woman holding pregnancy test

Durban clinic asks patients to buy their own pregnancy tests 

Some women seeking the removal of contraceptive implants or intrauterine devices face delays due to equipment shortages or lack of water.
black mother taking car her child

Toddler dies after being turned away from Praktiseer clinic

The nurse who was on duty refused to treat the child, apparently because they didn’t have a patient file.
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Health-e News Service

Health-e News is a non-profit, online publication focused on pressing health issues in South Africa. We centre community voices through our network of nationwide citizen journalists.

In January, Nolamethe Ntintili, 60, from rural Centane in the Eastern Cape started getting body aches. Within weeks, she could no longer walk or eat.Her family needed to get her to the nearest hospital in Butterworth - 60km away. But with how sick she was, public transport wasn't an option, and private transport cost R1,500, money the family didn't have.😟Her old age grant was already stretched thin: groceries, funeral policies, and supporting her unemployed daughter.In February, they made the difficult choice to skip groceries and take her to hospital. She was diagnosed with advanced colorectal cancer.She passed away weeks later.💔Many South Africans face the same struggle: free healthcare exists, but the cost of getting there - transport, time, and basic survival - keeps people away. health-e.org.za/2025/04/15/food-or-transport-to-medical-care-the-impossible-choice-many-south-afr...#healthcarehe#ruralhealthcarehe#healthnewshe#easterncapeasterncape ... See MoreSee Less
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[UPDATE] A month after mental health user Klaas Ledwaba was killed in the psychiatric ward at Philadelphia Hospital in Dennilton outside Groblersdal in Limpopo, his family is still waiting for an official cause of death. The 33-year-old was shot and killed, allegedly by another patient, during an attack. But Ledwaba’s family is still waiting for the post-mortem results. Now, they have approached a lawyer to take matters up with the Limpopo Department of Health. health-e.org.za/2025/04/14/family-in-the-dark-a-month-after-limpopo-psych-ward-shooting/ #healthnews #limpopo #mentalhealth ... See MoreSee Less
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Princess Chitsuro was born with HIV but only discovered her status as a young adult. The news shattered her. She pulled away from family and friends. But when she became pregnant, she faced a life-changing question: could she protect her child from HIV? She didn’t have the answers, until she joined a mentorship programme for young mothers. There, she met women who had been in her shoes, who gave her guidance, support, and hope. Thanks to access to essential reproductive health services, her baby was born HIV-free.Today, Princess is paying it forward, mentoring other young mothers so they, too, can access life-saving care. But stories like hers are at risk. Severe funding cuts to sexual and reproductive health services could undo years of progress, leading to:❌ More maternal deaths❌ More unintended pregnancies❌ A surge in HIV infectionsWhy invest in SRH? In 2024 alone, investments in SRHR prevented 9.49 million unintended pregnancies, 3.38 million abortions, and 19,150 maternal deaths in Eastern and Southern Africa. Read more here: health-e.org.za/2025/04/11/africa-wins-when-we-prioritise-womens-health-heres-how/UNFPA World Health Organization African Region #WomensHealth #maternalhealth #healthnews ... See MoreSee Less
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📊Child rape is the most reported crime against children in SA, yet few cases make it to trial. According to Stats SA, rape made up 38.3% of all reported crimes against children in 2022/23. But only a fraction of these cases make it to trial.7-year-old Cwecwe’s story which has sparked national outrage, highlights the gaps in the system. She was allegedly raped and drugged inside her school classroom in Matatiele, Eastern Cape. In a social media video her mother says when she reported it, a police officer blamed the child for not speaking up, making it difficult to register the case. 💔 The case was only taken seriously when officers learned her mother was also a police officer, and also of a higher ranking.What’s stopping families from getting justice?🚨Untrained police who fail to handle cases properly.🚨Medical facilities that lack resources for forensic exams.🚨 Courts that aren’t equipped to protect child witnesses.🚨Families forced to travel long distances for help they can’t afford.Read more here: health-e.org.za/2025/04/10/child-rape-survivors-and-their-families-struggle-to-get-support/ The Teddy Bear Foundation South Africa The TEARS Foundation#EndGBV #JusticeforCwecwe #healthnews ... See MoreSee Less
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"I thought I could finally mourn the loss of my child, who had passed away and was buried while I was in the hospital. However, my struggles continued."In December 2023, Nomveliso Nqeketho, a 42-year-old mother from the Eastern Cape, went to the hospital expecting care for her pregnancy. Instead, she was told her baby had died, and her womb was damaged.💔 After an operation to remove both, she was sent home. But something was wrong. During check-ups, nurses discovered urine leaking from her surgical site. It was later revealed that surgical scissors had been left inside her body during the initial operation. After a second operation, she still faces constant pain, incontinence, and costly adult nappies. Over a year later, her health hasn’t improved. Her family say she didn't even receive an apology and they're demanding answers. Find out more here: health-e.org.za/2025/04/09/doctors-left-scissors-inside-me-claims-ec-woman-after-operation/ #MedicalNegligence #easterncape #healthnews ... See MoreSee Less
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Did you know TB is the leading cause of death in South Africa? Anyone can get infected. If you show any symptoms, it's important to get tested immediately.

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