Pneumonia remains the leading cause of death among children under five years of age, with HIV contributing a large share to the burden of disease. But since the 1980s, there has been no updated knowledge of what causes child-hood pneumonia. A new international study involving about 12 000 children is investigating the causes of this disease.
In South Africa, HIV prevalence among youth aged 15 - 24 is among the world'€™s highest. However, latest research has found that more young South Africans take less risky sexual behaviour.
The National Health Department has taken a tough stand to promote proper and healthy eating habits in an attempt to prolong the life of South Africans.
This week on Special Assignment, Health-e follows a single mother and her battle against breast cancer. Wednesday at 9:30PM on SABC 3.
Staff shortages in hospitals are delaying the treatment of women in the early stages of cervical cancer in KwaZulu-Natal, endangering their lives.
Cancer patients relying on the state health system are increasingly struggling to access timeous treatment or their diagnosis and treatment is delayed until it is too late, cancer advocacy and support organisations have warned.
HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria have dominated the headlines and received much of the world attention for several years - And rightly so.
Two years ago, the AIDS community was electrified by news that a vaccine had partially protected people against HIV. Now this vaccine will be tested in South Africa.
The story of US engagement in South Africa to battle HIV/AIDS over the past decade is one of strategic choice, sustained commitment, and significant human impact, matched by recent strong action by the South African government to assert its leadership in reversing the course of its AIDS epidemic. By J. Stephen Morrison.
The Department of Health recently published draft regulations and guidelines governing complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs). We have not done an exhaustive analysis of the proposed changes. We are posting preliminary observations to spur discussion and public engagement with these important documents. By Marcus Low.
Tokollo District Hospital, situated in the small farming town of Heilbron in the Free State province, has become the latest district hospital in South Africa to receive international standards accreditation by the Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa (COHSASA).
Despite the high rate of HIV, research has found that young South Africans have less risky sexual behaviour than young people from the USA.
Recognising the need to improve child health, KwaZulu-Natal became the only province to scrap the provision of free formula milk in favour of promoting exclusive breast-feeding among pregnant women attending government antenatal facilities at the beginning of the year. By so doing, the province set the national agenda.
In a strong move to encourage breast-feeding as a key intervention to promote child survival, the national Health Department has decided to promote exclusive breast-feeding for the first six months of an infant'€™s life even for those with HIV-positive mothers.
South Africa will move to an exclusive breastfeeding strategy and discontinue the practice of providing formula feed through hospitals and clinics, health minster Dr Aaron Motsoaledi announced yesterday (TUES).
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