Our  journalism is free, because we believe that access to information leads to better health. Your support helps us reach underserved audiences. Can you chip in to help keep Health-e News free for all?

LATEST

Hypertension as a “silent killer” because patients can feel perfectly...

NEWS

Reader Survey

We want to know what you think! Take our reader feedback survey.

Tip-offs and leads

Community is important to us. A publication is only as good as its readership, because you are our eyes and ears on the ground.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Curiously Health-e

Curiosity is a powerful driver of knowledge, and at Health-e News, we believe in answering the questions that matter most to you. 

Do you ever wonder why we have such a high disease burden and what can be done to reduce it? Are you concerned about the impact of climate change on health? Would you like to know what resources are available for mental health?

Share your burning health questions with us! Each week, we’ll provide the answers to a select few inquiries.

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

MULTIMEDIA

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.

SAPS

SAPS and emergency response: ‘Police not equipped to transport patients’

Police vehicles are not equipped with emergency life-saving equipment and as such, transporting an injured patient with a police vehicle might worsen the injury and even worse.
New Project 2025 05 12T101302.636

Freedom Farm residents exposed to deafening aircraft noise for decades 

Being exposed to loud noise over a long period of time is a major risk factor for hearing loss.
AIDSConference18July 0008

Durban clinic denies sex worker ARVs   

Sex workers face significant barriers to accessing healthcare and often experience discrimination and stigma within the healthcare system.
Group of Mahikeng men are taking a stand against Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

No news about investigation into nurse’s inappropriate Facebook comment

The department has been slow in providing updates, and would not confirm if the nurse has been suspended, or is still working, while the investigation is underway.
Cover for Health-e News Service
8,045
Health-e News Service

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.

7 days ago

For over 20 years, Kliptown, Soweto residents have used chemical toilets that rely on substances like formaldehyde to break down waste. These toilets, often placed outside and shared among households, have raised serious health concerns, especially for women.Here are the the potential health hazards associated with plastic chemical non-flush toilets. #CleanToilets #HumanRights #healthnews #womenshealth ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
Kliptown, Soweto.For more than 20 years, people here have been using chemical toilets, the kind that don't flush and rely on harsh chemicals to manage waste.A young woman says when she was 9 her private area started itching and swelling. "At the clinic, they told me the toilet chemicals had burned me.”She stopped using them after that. She uses a bucket now, like many others in the area. The toilets are shared, often unsafe at night, and cleaned only twice a week. Professor Martin Onani, head of the chemistry department at The University of the Western Cape says direct or indirect exposure to toilet chemicals could potentially contribute to or exacerbate conditions like vaginal irritation, bacterial vaginosis, or urinary tract infections. In 2019, the SA Human Rights Commission called what they saw in Kliptown “a sheer violation” of people’s dignity. But not much has changed since then. Read more here: health-e.org.za/2025/05/12/kliptown-residents-fear-health-hazards-of-using-chemical-toilets-for-2... #cleantoilets #humanrights #healthnews ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

7 days ago

What can police actually do in a medical emergency?🚨 In March, Health-e reported on a Durban teen Bongani Nthangase who was stabbed by robbers and died after waiting 3 hours for an ambulance. Police couldn’t step in to transport or let bystanders assist. Here’s why, and what the law says about their role.#healthnews #durban #ambulances #ambulanceservice #emergencyresponse #durbannorth ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
In March, Health-e reported on 17-year-old Bongani Nthangase, who was stabbed near Durban’s North Beach. Help was close. A police station was just 500 metres away, and the hospital only 2 km. But despite lifeguards giving first aid and a bystander offering to drive him to hospital, he died after waiting three hours for an ambulance. Police couldn't step in to transport or let bystanders assist. Here’s why, and what the law says about their role: health-e.org.za/2025/05/12/saps-and-emergency-response-police-not-equipped-to-transport-patients/ #healthnewsA KwaZulu-Natal family is mourning the loss of 17-year-old Bongani Nthangase who died after being robbed and stabbed outside a popular restaurant on Durban’s North Beach last week. On Thursday afternoon around 3pm, Nthangase from Chatsworth was at the beach when two young men approached him, demanding his cellphone and other valuables. He didn’t have any valuables to hand over, so the robbers stabbed him and fled the scene. The teenager was left in the beach front parking lot, 500 metres from a mobile police station. The life guards administered first aid and a bystander offered to take him to drive him to Addington Hospital, just 2kms away.“We tried everything to help him but unfortunately we couldn’t. The police told us if anyone put the boy in their cars and he passed away they would be responsible,” a witness who asked not be named tells Health-e News. So they called the ambulance instead. “We waited for three hours and no one came to assist until the boy died. It was so painful to see someone die in front of your eyes and you can't assist,” the witness says. health-e.org.za/2025/03/31/durban-teen-dies-on-the-roadside-waiting-for-an-ambulance/ #healthnews ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
No feed found with the ID 1. Go to the All Feeds page and select an ID from an existing feed.

Health Fact

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.

Newsletter Subscription

Be in the know with our free weekly newsletter. We deliver a round-up of our top stories and insightful reads from across the web.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Enable Notifications OK No thanks