South Africa has a food crisis. The food system – made up of all of the activities and actors involved in the production, processing, transportation, selling, consumption and disposal of food – produces starkly unequal access to nutritious foods. As a result, many households in the country cannot afford a healthy diet, 27% of children […]

Claims for financial compensation for medical mistakes in South Africa have been on the rise since 2007. Recently, however, criminal charges for medical errors have also become more prevalent. One such case is that of Dr Danie van der Walt, who was ultimately acquitted on a charge of negligently causing the death of a child. […]

Trial of vaccine to prevent RSV was led by Wits vaccinologist Shabir Madhi and showed 82% efficacy. By James Stent   Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a dangerous early childhood viral infection, but results of a vaccine promise to change things radically. A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the world’s most […]

Although matcha tea has been around for centuries, it’s recently increased in popularity. This may be due to its favour with celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow, and because of its purported health benefits – with many claiming matcha has even greater benefit for our health than green tea does. All green tea […]

While the arrival of spring brings blooming flowers and trees, it also marks the beginning of allergy season for many people. Those who suffer from hay fever may start to notice familiar symptoms such as sneezing, itchy eyes and a runny nose. Hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis, affects up to 42% of people […]

1 in 5 South African households begs for food – the link between food insecurity and mental health At least ten million South Africans didn’t have enough food or money to buy food in 2019, according to the country’s statistics agency. This food insecurity remains a leading health problem that is unlikely to be eradicated any […]

It is almost impossible nowadays to listen to the radio, watch TV or scroll through social media without being exposed to an advertisement telling us that all we need for a little happiness and love is a sugary drink or a fast-food snack. There’s nothing that a tasty, affordable, ready-made meal cannot fix, we are […]

A mathematical model played a vital role in the struggle for access to HIV medicines in the 2000s. It showed that antiretroviral medicines would save millions of lives. And studies based on the model showed it would be affordable. Activists used it to advocate for treatment and eventually policymakers were persuaded. UCT epidemiologist Dr Leigh […]

Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, has paid tribute to the 102 595 nurses who lost their lives when they became the first line of defence to protect South Africans during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Let’s remember these fallen heroes and heroines with pride because they rolled up their sleeves and confronted the ever-mutating pandemic […]

The Department of Health has expressed concern at the increasing number of locally acquired indigenous cholera cases following the four new cholera cases that were recorded over the last week in Gauteng. “Whilst there is an ongoing risk for imported cases following travel from other African countries currently experiencing cholera outbreaks (especially Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia […]

It’s now more commonly known that alcohol and tobacco use make us ill. Less known is that just four industries account for at least one-third of global preventable deaths. These industries are: unhealthy processed food and drinks, fossil fuels, alcohol and tobacco. Collectively they cause 19 million deaths every year, according to a recent series […]

Hundreds of people gathered for the annual Trolley Race in support of Intellectual Disability Awareness Month on 22 March. Adults with mental disabilities from Khayelitsha, Mitchell’s Plain, Retreat and Athlone met at Rygate sports field in Athlone on Friday. The event was hosted by Cape Mental Health. Spirits were high as the trainees cheered on […]

If you hate Mondays, you’re most certainly in good company. After a couple of days off, many of us have difficulty settling back into our routines and work duties. You may even have dread and anxiety that seeps into the weekend in the form of “Sunday scaries”. You can’t always change your schedule or obligations […]

World TB Day was first commemorated on March 24th in 1882 when Professor Robert Koch announced in Berlin that he had discovered the microbial cause of tuberculosis (TB), Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Effective treatment for TB has been available since 1952. But it continues to be the world’s top cause of death from a single infectious disease. […]

During the height of the Covid pandemic, there was one outstanding leader holding political office in South Africa: Western Cape Premier Alan Winde. His messages were clear and science-based. He supported the provincial health department’s initiatives which involved making sure hospitals had the capacity to deal with the surges in Covid cases. Winde’s leadership is […]

It was meant to be an orphanage for vulnerable children in an impoverished community. So, why are more than one hundred children now being fed from a shack next to the multi-million rand property in Limpopo? Here’s what’s coming up on Carte Blanche this week. You can watch the show on Sunday 19 March in […]

Expectant mothers sleeping on chairs and hospital floors, crumbling infrastructure, management deficiencies, and a paediatric and child health facility with no blood bank, laboratory facility or intensive care unit (ICU). These are some of the damning findings contained in the report of the Health Ombudsman, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, who was tasked with investigating allegations against […]

While the Western Cape’s two advanced surgery robots have only been in operation for a short time (acquired in October 2021), they have already demonstrated their value to surgeons at the province’s largest hospitals and the project may to be expanded. The Da Vinci Xi surgical systems have participated in 260 surgeries at Tygerberg and […]

Considering that South Africa is one of the highest per capita meat-consuming countries in Africa, one might be surprised to discover that there are 14 fully vegan restaurants in Cape Town alone. Humane Society International/Africa and ProVeg South Africa have partnered to create a My Plant-Based City map of Cape Town to highlight these restaurants, as well […]

Not only is swimming outdoors a pleasant way to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air, it can also help relieve stress and elevate our endorphins.

Mental health problems among adults are an ever-increasing public health concern. These include depression, anxiety, and conditions associated with bad childhood experiences such as abuse. Several factors are known to influence the development of mental illness. These include anxiety, early adversity, socio-economic status, and some demographic characteristics such as where a person lives. In a […]

Becoming an adult often seems to mean leaving play behind. The term “adulting” refers to doing things that are joyless, boring and tiresome – the opposite of play. But we can embrace adulthood while still finding joy through play and being playful. You might not realise it, but when you swing in your chair, slip […]

Sleep may be the single biggest factor in maintaining a healthy brain and positive mental health. This is especially true if you are under the age of 20. What is interesting — and problematic — is that most of us live with a sleep debt: in essence we are not getting enough sleep, so we […]

Attitudes to mental health conditions are often influenced by matters of awareness and belief systems. Bipolar disorder is one of the conditions that’s frequently misunderstood and stigmatised. This is the case in Ghana, where bipolar is generally referred to as atenkabrane nsesae yaree – a condition characterised by extreme changes in mood. A recent study […]

The recent deaths of over 300 children in Africa and Asia have prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to warn about the use of “substandard and falsified” medical products. The organisation called for more efforts to protect children from contaminated medicine.Toxicologists Winston Morgan and Shazma Bashir unpack the story. What caused the WHO to issue […]