Femidoms still a taboo
Female condoms were introduced over a decade ago, but they still remain a taboo subject with many South Africans.
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Gender Based Violence
Endometriosis destroys quality of life
About 1 in 10 women of reproductive age suffer from a chronic and painful condition known as endometriosis. The disease can impact on the lives of women in a considerably adverse manner.
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Living with Lupus
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus or simply Lupus is a rare disease that affects a number of organs in the body. It is mostly common in young females. Noxolo Malusalila is one such case.
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PERSONAL STORY: My war against smoking addiction
I started smoking when I was 17 years old. I will never forget that first drag- the headrush, the thrill and the smell and taste. It is now 8 years later and am still in an on/off relationship with cigarettes.
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High cholesterol puts your heart health at risk
Cardio-vascular disease kills 200 individuals in SA every day, which equates to 13 mini bus loads of people! Additionally, 5.5 million South Africans are at risk of getting a heart-attack because of their high cholesterol levels.
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Lack of exercise enemy to your health
Heart disease is the world'€™s number one killer and sits at number two in South Africa, second only to HIV/AIDS. The truth, however, is that 80% of heart disease can be prevented if we adopt healthy lifestyles.
Read More » Lack of exercise enemy to your health‘€˜It is the right time’€™ to deal with gender-based violence Living with AIDS # 488
In 1996, when South Africa returned to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the country made a resolution that declared violence a public health priority. But violent crime still remains endemic, with women and girls especially at risk.
Read More » ‘€˜It is the right time’€™ to deal with gender-based violence Living with AIDS # 488
Health sector to stand against rape Living with AIDS # 487
The rape of girls and women remains a major concern in South Africa, and the health care sector needs to be better equipped to collect evidence to prove sexual violation to help secure the conviction of perpetrators by the courts.
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Bone marrow stem cell transplant saves lives
Every year thousands of South Africans of all ages and races are diagnosed with diseases such as leukaemia, marrow failure or some other rare blood disorders. Seventy-five percent of these patients are under the age of 25. Their only hope of survival is a blood stem cell transplant from a donor who shares the same tissue type.
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A new lease on life
Hospice offers care that focuses on alleviating pain of very ill patients, as well as providing emotional support and counselling to them and their families. Whilst many hospice patients are terminally ill, some are able to recover through the wonderful care they receive.
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Hospice saved my life
For many years, hospices were known as places where people are sent to die. But many patients, especially those with AIDS, come out alive.
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Safe sex elusive for many women
Most women still find it difficult to negotiate safe sex with their partners. The problem is even more prevalent among women who are economically dependent on men. Some institutionalised social and cultural norms also fuel the challenge.
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How South Africans die
The mortality rate in South Africa is decreasing. But more men than women continue to die due to natural causes, with Tuberculosis and pneumonia being the two leading causes of death. This is according to Statistics South Africa, which recently released its report on mortality and causes of death.
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The world now has less AIDS, but’€¦ Living with AIDS # 458
Thirty years into the HIV epidemic, women of the world are still at a higher risk of contracting HIV infection than men, although the latest figures by the United Nations show that overall infection levels have dropped significantly over the last 10 years.
Read More » The world now has less AIDS, but’€¦ Living with AIDS # 458
There is hope for leukaemia patients ‘€“ says survivor
Leukaemia, a blood cancer once considered deadly, can now be treated and managed well but, like any other cancer, it requires intensive treatment early enough, coupled with a good support structure. A survivor, Zuki Mokwebo, shares her story.
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