[ad_1] This project is funded by: For nine months, since May 2025, Kgorathuto Secondary School in Botshabelo in the Free State had ongoing water shortages, making the toilets unusable. Learners arrived at school for registers to be taken, and were then sent home. “We cannot be satisfied that our kids don’t get an education. Teachers are getting paid to work, yet they don’t do their work because each day after morning prayers, kids are let to leave. This has been happening for a long time, and it needs to stop”, says a parent, Mpho Tseisi. Following numerous demonstrations staged by…
Author: Njih Favour
[ad_1] If someone living with HIV is not on antiretroviral therapy, the virus can cause inflammation in, among other places, the brain. (Photo: Shutterstock) News & Features 3rd March 2026 | Biénne Huisman Antiretroviral therapy has shifted HIV from a fatal to a chronic condition. But neuropsychiatrists say it is imperative for people living with the virus to start treatment immediately as the “duration of untreated exposure” may cause irreversible brain damage and impact long-term cognitive health. It has been recognised for decades that cognitive impairment is a potential complication of HIV infection. Questions over how likely and how serious…
[ad_1] Researchers say sanitary pads and pantyliners sold in local stores may increase the risk of health problems like fertility issues and certain cancers over time. Menstrual products have been at the centre of online conversations this past week, after a study by researchers from the University of the Free State (UFS) found chemicals in 16 brands of pads and eight types of pantyliners sold locally. Researchers say the chemicals were found in small amounts, but repeated exposure over many years may increase the risk of health problems such as fertility issues and certain cancers. The findings have left many…
[ad_1] A rare disease is any medical condition that affects a small percentage of the population. (Photo: Shutterstock) News & Features 27th February 2026 | Elna Schütz Individual rare diseases impact only a very small fraction of people, but collectively they are estimated to affect over three million in South Africa. As we mark International Rare Disease Day on 28 February, Spotlight assesses the state of play with rare diseases in the country. Mpho Matseka used to be considered a particularly naughty child, since he seemed to always be the first to get injured or sick. Now, he knows that…
[ad_1] By Dr Patrick Ngassa Piotie, Chairperson of the Diabetes Alliance The 2026 budget speech delivered by finance minister Enoch Godongwana appears disconnected from the scientific and clinical evidence emerging daily from public health facilities. Treasury allocated R21.3 billion to support the employment of doctors and R26 billion for HIV/AIDS programmes. These are important steps for our health system. Yet there’s no dedicated funding stream to tackle the non-communicable disease (NCDs) crisis facing the country. South Africa’s health profile has changed fundamentally over the past decade. NCDs have been the leading causes of death since 2010. We are no longer…
[ad_1] An estimated 3 500 patients who visit Phuthanang Clinic in Tsakane each month are forced to seek medical care at other clinics. This comes after the City of Ekurhuleni temporarily reassigned health workers from Phuthanang to nearby facilities following a go-slow this week. Workers downed tools, protesting the continuous dysfunction of the toilets at the facility. The female toilets have been cordoned off, preventing them from being used. One patient tells Health-e News that the toilet issue has been persisting for “more than three years”. To relieve themselves, patients use the toilets at a nearby mechanic workshop or the…
[ad_1] Dr Sheetal Kassim, the site lead for the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation’s clinical trial site at Groote Schuur Hospital. (Photo: Nasief Manie/Spotlight) News & Features 26th February 2026 | Elri Voigt A cutting-edge, South African-led HIV vaccine trial built on decades of research recently kicked off in Cape Town. Spotlight unpacks what exactly is being studied, and how the resilience, tenacity and urgency of a group of dedicated South African researchers made it possible. Antiretroviral medicines can suppress HIV in the body and keep people healthy, but we do not yet have a viable cure for HIV or an…
[ad_1] 25 Feb Powering Excellence: SAHPRA fuels future Innovators with Tech Boost at SMU Awards Posted at 12:55h in News & Updates by Ntokozo Msiza The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) reinforced its role as a champion of scientific advancement by sponsoring top achievers at the 2025 Dean’s Excellence Awards hosted by Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University. Held on 13 February 2026 in Ga-Rankuwa, north of Pretoria, the ceremony honoured five exceptional students from the Faculty of Science and Innovation with high-performance laptops and accessories in recognition of their academic distinction. The annual awards celebrate outstanding scholarly achievement…
[ad_1] In Limpopo, communities that were ravaged by the recent floods now face another problem. Residents tell Health-e News there’s a noticeable increase in mosquitoes, and they’re worried about getting sick. The malaria-endemic region is a breeding ground for mosquitoes during the hot, rainy season from September to May. But this year, the buzz is relentless. “It’s the worst it’s been in the past 30 years, since I was born,” says Muxe Ngobeni, a 34-year-old resident of Khakhala. Earlier this month the Limpopo Department of Health issued a warning of a rise in malaria cases, while experts warned of a…
[ad_1] Some people who don’t medically need GLP-1s are using them, while others who could benefit from these potentially life-saving medicines go without. (Photo: Shutterstock) News & Features 25th February 2026 | Catherine Tomlinson In South Africa, access to weight loss medicines like Ozempic and Mounjaro remains limited to those who can shell out a few thousand Rand a month. In the second article of a Spotlight special series, we look at the medical need for these medicines in the country and what it would take for government to provide them in the public sector. The World Health Organization (WHO)…