Violence, alcohol abuse and mental disorders are “inextricably linked and pose a major public health challenge”. Yet there is a lack of recognition of the links between the three, and few properly trained healthworkers to recognise and address patients’ substance…
VHEMBE. – Gloria Mathukha is used to be called ‘crazy’ or ‘mad woman’, but this doesn’t make it any easier. This 36-year-old woman from Matavhela village in Limpopo has a mentally disability and suffers constant discrimination from members in her…
Vhembe – The Mphephu Royal Council and Masana Private FET College celebrated Mental Health Day in style by donating a house to a mental health patient. The royal family and college donated a four-roomed house to Daniel Mukhoro (25) of…
PRESS STATEMENT. – Grand Challenges Canada, which is funded by the Government of Canada, announced a landmark $19.4 million in support of 15 innovative, pioneering projects designed to improve mental health diagnosis and care in developing countries, many of them…
Each year around a thousand young women addicted to crystal methamphetamine, or tik, give birth to so-called tik babies in Cape Town. “I started smoking [heroine, dagga and tik] while I was 16 years old,” said Meggan Adams from the…
The economic impact of not making proper mental health care available far exceeds the cost of actually providing it. This is according to Professor Crick Lund who estimates that in 2003 South Africa lost approximately U$3.6 billion due to lack…
Food services staff at Chris Hani Baragwanath (CHB) Hospital have claimed that patients are often served rotten and contaminated food and food preparation guidelines and menus designed by dieticians are ignored. Speaking on condition of anonymity, one CHB kitchen staff…
OurHealth. – Tumi (not her real name) was at death’s door when her grandmother carried her on her back to the Golden Gateway Hospice in Bethlehem, in the Free State. Story by Thamsanqa Majola. “Before we took her to hospice…
OurHealth – Nombulelo Manala Lubhelu (45) of Lusikisiki-kwaGqwarhu location has taken the tough decision of declining lifesaving antiretrovirals (ARVs) because she is simply too poor to buy food and does not want to take her medication on an empty stomach.…
Sport scientist Professor Tim Noakes continued his controversial stance yesterday, stating that dietary advice fed to the public for the last few decades are part of a conspiracy to promote higher consumption of corn-based products that are harmful to human…
VHEMBE. – The Department of Health and Social Development in Limpopo is collaborating with the Zimbabwean government to curb a cholera outbreak in the region. This is according to Phuti Seloba, the spokesperson on cholera issue for the South African…
A landmark decision by the Indian Supreme Court to uphold India’s Patents Act in the face of the seven-year challenge by pharmaceutical company Novartis has been hailed across the world as a major victory for access to affordable medicines in…
A historic breakthrough. That’s how key stakeholders in breast health in South Africa described a meeting with the Health ministry on March 21, Human Rights Day. By Sue Segar The significant outcome of the meeting – attended by deputy health…
South African scientists have dismissed predictions of a possible public health emergency following reports from Australia that a small number of swine flu patients were resistant to the first-line treatment, Tamiflu. Resistance is carefully monitored in South Africa and globally…
VHEMBE. – The health services here has been unable to help a pensioner who is suffering from strange illness. George Mmbanguseni Munzhelele of Matshavhawe village in Dzimauli, Limpopo, is suffering from a strange illness that has been “eating” his fingers…