South Africa's health system is on the brink of a dramatic change, with the National Health Insurance White Paper expected to be considered by Cabinet this week.
Read More »Taking health to the peopleTuberculosis is the leading cause of natural death in South Africa and over 10% of all new TB cases are drug resistant. One of the most important measures for controlling the spread of the bacteria is quick diagnosis and treatment. Revolutionary new testing technology may make this possible.
Read More »Breakthrough in TB diagnosticsBreast cancer is the most common female cancer in South Africa, affecting approximately 1 in every 29 women. Whilst cancer cannot always be prevented, early detection does allow for a greater chance of a full recovery. In this insert Nosipho Mgoma shares her reality of breast cancer and shows that it can affect younger woman and if detected late, can have devastating consequences.
Read More »‘I am scared’: the frightening reality of breast cancerWe all have the occasional mood swing or wake up on the wrong side of the bed some mornings. However as this insert shows, it is not just a simple case of good or bad days when your fluctuating moods are affecting your career and your relationship with loved ones. Tshidi Khumbane shares her experience of bipolar mood disorder.
Read More »The highs and lows of bipolar mood disorderDown syndrome is a chromosomal disorder that affects approximately 1 in every 800 children and results in mental as well as physical disability. As this insert shows, information is the key to not only accepting your child's condition, but also in being able to provide the specific care that your child needs.
Read More »A special Gift: a mother’s story of Down syndromeAlmost 1000 new cases of leukaemia are diagnosed every year, most of these in children. Treatment involves replacing the diseased bone marrow, with new, matching bone marrow from a donor. This insert shows 11 year old Rahul Singh who is still unable to find a match.
Read More »“I’m too young to die”: A boy’s battle with LeukaemiaCheating, mistresses and having more than one partner might sound very sexy and intriguing. But beneath the surface lies a dangerous web of sexual partners which is leading to the rampant spread of HIV/AIDS.
Read More »Secrets and LiesAll children are guaranteed the right to education in South Africa. However children with more specific education needs are sometimes forgotten on the sidelines. There are only 9 schools for children with autism in the entire country. This insert,looks at the challenges faced by a school for autistic children in Johannesburg.
Read More »Autistic children struggle to get and educationOn World TB Day, Health-e News brought you the story of Nerissa Pather ' a young doctor crippled by the multi-drug resistant TB Meningitis. After that report aired on Special Assignment, the MEC for Health in Kwa-Zulu Natal visited the family and has promised to ensure that she gets compensation.
Read More »In the line of duty – update5 million people worldwide die of tobacco related diseases every year, which is one death every 10 seconds. Despite the crack down on smokers in South Africa through increased tax on cigarettes and restrictions on where they can smoke, few people take heed of the warnings that tobacco kills. In this insert produced by Fathima Simjee, Ken Newman, who was a smoker for over 50 years explains why he wishes he had never lit a cigarette in his life.
Read More »I wish I had never lit a cigaretteOn Sunday 30th May, more than 23 000 runners took part in the Comrades marathon between Pietermaritzburg and Durban. One of the teams that participated was a group of HIV+ athletes. In this insert the runners from Positive Heroes explain the importance of showing that people with HIV are still able to achieve their dreams.
Read More »Positive HeroesDepression has been directly linked to serious illness. According to the WHO, people living with HIV/AIDS are 4.4 times more likely to be depressed. Every time we laugh our body releases a cocktail of chemicals and hormones which give us a feeling of happiness. This insert produced by Fathima Simjee tells the story of Alice Phiri, who has used laughter therapy to help her deal with her HIV positive status.
Read More »Just for laughsSouth Africa has one of the highest TB rates in the world but a cure rate of only 54%. TB is often the first sign of HIV infection and is the leading cause of death in people living with HIV/AIDS. Health-e follows the story of Clive Maimela, and HIV positive man who had to struggle with TB.
Read More »Living with TB and HIVIn 2006, the outbreak of an almost untreatable form of TB in Kwa-Zulu Natal struck fear in the public health community. TB is an airborne disease which is spread by coughing, sneezing or '¦simply talking. It's usually curable, but decades of a poorly run TB Control Programme has resulted in an explosion of new and lethal strains of drug resistant TB. Failure to curb infection has seen the number of TB case sky-rocket and among them are doctors and nurses.
Read More »In the line of duty