Ten Morgan community members in Winterveldt, north of Pretoria, are up in arms. They have had to contend with a “fly infestation” for more than a month now. Residents say the pests come from the nearby poultry farm. Philly Khoza…
It’s been three months since expectant mothers in Seutelong in Moretele, North West province have been able to get an ultrasound scan at Sediane clinic. Patients say they have repeatedly been told that the doctor is not available. The clinic…
Arnetia Brown got her first period when she was 13 and pain has been a regular part of her life since. “With my very first cycle my father found me passed out on the floor. I actually fainted because I…
“We do not expect to be robbed or held at gunpoint while saving lives,” says Levy Leburu, an emergency medical services (EMS) worker based in Jouberton near Klerksdorp in the North West province. In August he started an online petition…
It’s a sunny midweek afternoon and the streets of downtown Johannesburg are buzzing with people, hooting taxis and hawkers on the pavements. On the corner of Klein and Koch street in Hillbrow, Health-e News meets Nelson Khethani, an old man…
David Martin Shaw, University of Basel; Philip Lewis, University of Cologne, and Thomas C. Erren, University of Cologne We expect medical professionals to give us reliable information about ourselves and potential treatments so that we can make informed decisions about…
Have you ever wondered how the light around us affects our sleep? It turns out, the kind of light we’re exposed to can make a big difference in the quality of our sleep. The simple act of flipping a light…
Elizabeth Masinge struggles to get the wheelbarrow over the rocky gravel road near her home in Bode Village, outside Giyani in Limpopo. The 69-year-old zig-zags across the road, trying hard to control the load: two 25-litre containers full of water. …
Eastern Cape patients using public health facilities report being turned away, those living with HIV being shouted at, while key populations face hostile services from healthcare workers. These are some of the findings outlined in a new report by Ritshidze,…
Top scientists, opinion leaders, civil society groups and politicians are calling on United States (US) policymakers to vote in favour of the continued funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The voting process – known as a…
Six years ago when Lerato Madumise, 28, of Rammulotsi in the remote Free State town of Viljoenskroon found out she was expecting her first child she was happy. She was excited about giving birth to a healthy boy, and everything…
Academics, activists and medical professionals have rung the alarm bell over the further deterioration of South Africa’s public health services if stringent budget-cutting measures are implemented immediately. South Africa has been facing fiscal strain with increased interest rates and high…
It’s been two years since Health-e News first met Oreokame Sehularo from the Northern Cape. Two birthday celebrations later, and the 11-year-old, affectionately called “Oreo” by family and close friends, is still waiting for a life saving stem cell donation. …
School social workers are the go-to resource for public schools to refer cases of children struggling with learning, behavioural concerns and other mental health conditions.
Lungani Ngema (27) from Shakaville in KwaDukuza on the KwaZulu Natal North Coast was diagnosed with tuberculosis empyema (TB empyema) in November last year. While curable, this complex form of TB disease requires specialist treatment for a period varying from…
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