Bibi-Aisha Wadvalla

Male nurses: Keen to step out of female shadows

Males nurses are keen to change the status quo where they are either undermined or looked down upon in communities. They are tired of being called names and want to remind the public that they are just as capable as their female counterparts, writes Pamela Madonsela. Siyanda Ngema, known as SiyaSpeaks, born and bred in the KwaKhoza Reserve, a village in KwaZulu-Natal is one such nurse. He later moved to Tshwane to further his studies and is currently working as a Nephrology Nurse Specialist at a hospital in Gauteng. “There is a handful of individuals who look down upon us or undermine the roles of male nurses,” said Ngema. “We must remember that male nurses are rare in some communities. Some have been accepted while others have received negative treatment from the general public, patients, and multidisciplinary teams. I have been called a lot of names since I took up

Rekgonne Warriors Foundation: GBV survivor rises above nightmare situation

At least half of all South African women have been victims of gender-based violence (GBV). Lena Mogolegwa is one of them and has used her experience to establish a foundation to help other survivors be victors and not victims, writes Pamela Madonsela. Mogolegwa, a 35-year-old from Manamakgoteng, a village in Moruleng Rustenburg, launched Rekgonne Warriors – A Foundation for Victims by Victors. “I didn’t want others to go through what I went through alone. So, I decided to fill the gap to not only make a difference for them but for myself too. It’s something I’ve longed for and needed … simply to say: ‘I believe you and it’s going to be okay’,” she said. Rakgonne Warriors tackles hardcore issues Mogolegwa, a rape survivor, said the foundation came at a time when no one believed in her. “My family felt that an 8 to 5 is the only way to

Health-e News reporter recognised at journalism awards

Health-e News is proud to announce that our Lilita Gcwabe is a runner-up in the Gauteng Regional Vodacom Journalist of the Year for her story ‘Fighting for a breath of fresh, clean air Mpumalanga Highveld communities take on government’ – Health-e News

Phelophepa train brings hope to Mpumalanga residents

The Mpumalanga public healthcare system received a welcome boost with the arrival of the Transnet Phelophepa train in Mbombela this week. Health MEC, Ms Sasekani Manzini, welcomed the mobile clinic which is set to deliver much-needed medical services to residents living in rural areas. These mobile clinics travel to areas of South Africa where having only one doctor available for every 5000 people is nothing new. It runs for 36 weeks of the year and travels to 70 remote communities; bringing hope to citizens who are in need of access to healthcare facilities. Residents are delighted to be on board the Phelophepa train in a province where people have to wake up in the wee hours of the morning to start queueing for medical services at public clinics and hospitals. Residents happy to be on board Elinah Montane, from Msogwaba, which falls under the Ehlanzeni District Municipality, said she had

Mpumalanga bikers drive COVID-19 vaccine message

A group of bikers in Mpumalanga have joined forces with the province’s health department to encourage people to get the COVID-19 jab.

Mpumalanga NPO dishes out dignity packs to schoolgirls

In celebration of Women’s Month, NPO Tsa Semzini decided to return to the communities its members hail from to donate dignity packs consisting of feminine hygiene products to 1 000 schoolgirls.

Healthcare workers: “We are living in the shadows of death”

It’s been over a year since COVID-19 first hit South Africa. Since then, many people have been living in constant fear and many have lost loved ones. Frontline healthcare workers had no choice but to face their fears if they were to keep doing the life-saving work they were trained for. Amy Green, for Spotlight and Health-e News, and colleagues explore the emotional toll that South Africa’s third wave of COVID-19 is taking on healthcare workers.

Op-ed: Psychosocial support during times of unrest and other trauma

South Africans are suffering from severe psychosocial stress, caused by socio-economic challenges that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many are suffering from depression, burnout and anxiety. Clinical psychologist, Dr JD du Toit, weighs in how to cope in these stressful times.