Most South Africans have never heard of Nipah virus, which appears on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) list of emerging infectious threats. Nipah outbreaks, including the current one in India, are rare, but the disease has severe consequences, with reported fatality rates of 40-75%. There’s no proven antiviral treatment and no widely available vaccine. WHO …
Nipah virus and SA’s new air quality regulations Read More »
Maternal and child health (MCH) outcomes are good indicators of whether a health system works, and for whom. In rich countries, preventable maternal deaths are concentrated in poor neighbourhoods and marginalised populations. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) they reflect deeper and broader system failures that overwhelm clinical services. In both contexts, digital twins offer …
Editorials urge clinicians and researchers to speak out against misinformation. Public health leaders warn that trust in evidence-based guidance is declining. Scientists describe being “under attack for someone else’s political gain.” These pleas, warnings, repetitions of scientific facts, and proclamations of authority in response to misinformation and conspiracy beliefs are welcome but ineffective. It’s more …
Lessons from the global leader in water management South Africa’s Constitution guarantees the right to sufficient water. Water is recognised as a condition of dignity, health, and citizenship, and the state is obliged to take reasonable measures to realise that right. Constitutions do not pump water. When water systems fail, consequences for healthcare are immediate. Maternity …
Constitutions don’t pump water: why healthcare needs a water strategy Read More »
Loud music: the new smoking If you join an exercise class at your local gym, one thing will probably strike you immediately – loud music with a thumping bass, and an even louder instructor. The strike isn’t metaphorical. Noise physically damages one of the human body’s most delicate and precious structures: the inner ear. Many …
