Health e News

Limpopo clinic without immunisation meds for months

VHEMBE. ‘€“ A shortage of important medicines at the Tshiombo Clinic in this Limpopo district is posing a serious health risk to the local community.

New Groundbreakers help educate, develop youth

BETHLEHEM. – Lovelife, the HIV prevention initiative for young people, recently trained 85 new Community Groundbreakers for 2013 in the Free State. The training, held at the Thaba Nchu, Black Mountain Hotel in the Free State, began on 22 January and ended on 1 February.

Heavy smokers should scan for lung cancer

Older smokers and former heavy smokers should consider low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans to screen for lung cancer.

Study aims to close the HIV tap

A massive population-based study launched in the Western Cape and Zambia yesterday is aiming to answer the critical question whether testing large populations for HIV and immediately starting those infected on effective antiretroviral treatment programmes, could close the tap on new infections.

Extra-couple relationships a significant driver of HIV epidemic

Heterosexual couples in long-term relationships who have sexual encounters outside their established partnership (extra-couple relationships) are one of the main drivers of the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa, according to new research published in The Lancet journal.

3 months and orphaned

Vhembe. ‘€“ At just three-months-old, a boy from Mabila village in Limpopo lost both his parents to AIDS-related illnesses. Along with three other siblings he now lives with his grandmother.

Patients protest over cancer services

CAPE TOWN – Cancer survivors gathered in central Cape Town yesterday to protest and raise awareness of the challenges faced by patients in South Africa, saying they are fed up with among others broken radiation machines and poor treatment access.

TB vaccine fails

CAPE TOWN – A critical anti-tuberculosis (TB) candidate vaccine tried in infants, has failed in trials. The MVA85A vaccine candidate was found to be safe and well tolerated, but ineffective in combination with the Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG), the currently used TB vaccine.

Grannies play soccer to keep fit

Vhembe. ‘€“ Grannies from the Mufulwi village in Limpopo are playing soccer to keep fit. This group of women aged between 50 and 75 years call themselves “Nyonyoloso ya vhaaluwa”, which means ‘€œexcercise for elders’€.

Experiences in public health

Africa Health Placements (AHP) conducted interviews with local and foreign-qualified doctors to determine what factors attracted them to South Africa and what factors could potentially push them away from working in the public sector, to examine their thoughts on management, team work and perceptions in public healthcare facilities in South Africa, as well as their experiences both in and outside the hospital.

Graphic warnings on cigarettes effective across demographic groups

Hard-hitting graphic tobacco warnings on cigarette packets are helping smokers from all socio-economic backgrounds to quit, new research suggests. A study by researchers at Legacy and the Harvard School of Public Health provides evidence that bold pictorial cigarette warning labels that visually depict the health consequences of smoking play a life-saving role in highlighting the dangers of smoking and encouraging smokers to quit.

Smoke like a man, die like a man

Women’€™s risk of dying from smoking is now almost equivalent to that of men.

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