The air at home is dangerous to the health of more than half South Africa's population. This is because some 50 percent of households still use "dirty" fuels such as paraffin, coal and wood for heating and cooking Jo Stein reports.
Read More » Air pollution ‘ worse indoors for manyThe widespread practice of burning old tyres to retrieve and sell the wire inside them is not only a serious health hazard for neighbourhood residents, but poses a risk to air safety as well. Jo Stein reports.
Read More » Used tyres ‘ a burning issueDespite high levels of alcohol and drug abuse in Cape Town, very few public rehabilitation centres exist to provide free treatment to those without private medical aids. This is according to a recent study by the Medical Research Council. Jo Stein reports.
Read More » Alcohol and drug abuse treatment unaffordable to most
A new fortified cookie designed to suppliment micronutrients in school children is being launched in Durban today (22 March 2000). The carotino-nutritional biscuit is the product of four years of scientific tests. It was developed by the MRC to eliminate the widespread deficiency in vitamins A, E and iron which is essential for good mental and physical development in South African children.
Read More » Smart CookiesDon't rely on the workers' compensation system to provide for you if you get injured at work; the system may only add insult to injury. This is according to a submission to the Public Protector requesting a formal inquiry into the Office of the Compensation Commissioner.
Read More » Workers’ compensation system adds insult to injuryThe difference between diseases children can easily catch from one another, like flu, and those they can't, like HIV/AIDS is the subject of a new play, "Inside Out", produced by the Arepp Educational Trust.
Read More » Sick puppets make for healthy school kidsWhen it comes to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) its seems that public health care offers patients more appropriate treatment and better medication. However, because of the sensitive nature of STDs, many patients still tend to opt for private care. JO STEIN explores the findings of a recent research report.
Read More » Public care = quality care for STDsFewer than half the state hospitals and clinics chosen to provide termination of pregnancy procedures are offering the service to pregnant women. This is according to the South African Health Review 1999 released yesterday (wed feb.9) by the Health Systems Trust.
Read More » Safe abortions still unavailable to manyFlu experts hold different views as to which strain of influenza is going to hit South Africans hardest this winter, but they all agree on one thing: a flu jab is a must. An anti-flu vaccine administered in March will help boost your ability to resist the virus or to recover quicker from the flu should it strike.
Read More » Facing up to the flu
A resourceful attitude and creative approach to the humble plastic soft drink bottle have produced a new device to help children with asthma inhale their medication. Researchers at the University of Cape Town and the Red Cross Children's hospital have designed a local version of the inhaler-spacer which costs just R1 to make and is just as effective as commercial spacers which cost about R160. The plastic bottle spacers will soon be distributed free of charge to primary health care facilities throughout the Western Cape. The device is good news given that between 10 and 15% of children in South Africa suffer from asthma.
Read More » Soft drink bottles help beat asthmaGiving some patients priority over over may be tough, but it is necessary if the TB epidemic is to be beaten with limited resources. This is the logic of international experts who are urging South Africa to pour resources into curing new cases of ordinary TB rather than spending any more money trying to treat multiple drug-resistant TB. "Pay attention to the new cases and fix them the first time around or they become retreatment and multiple drug-resistant cases. First we need to shut the tap," says Professor Don Enarson from the World Health Organisation TB review team.
Read More » Tough choices in TB prevention and treatmentAlmost half the maternal deaths in South Africa during 1998 were preventable. This is according to the Health Department's Confidential Enquiry into maternal deaths in South Africa. The report identifies numerous shortcomings in the health care system, many of which concern failures in the referral and transport systems between health institutions. The Department of Health has accepted the recommendations of the report and will start implementing them.
Read More » Health system failures result in maternal deathsThere has been an alarming increase in the proportion of adolescent patients at drug treatment centres countrywide, according to Charles Parry of the Medical Research Council. In Cape Town, for example, the proportion of patients under 20 drug treatment centres in Cape Town has more than doubled since 1996 from 6% to 15% in 1999.
Read More » Is drug-use amongst South African youth increasing
Rather than preach about the dangers of HIV, condom-promotion should show that when people are comfortable with, and in control of, their sexuality, condoms do not result in unsatisfactory sex.
Read More » Scare-tactics don’t work
