Browsing Category
Public Health
SA Pushed For First Ever TB Summit At The United Nations
The 73rd United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is currently taking place in New York. Various heads of states, ministers and activists have been meeting to discuss the current problems which are facing the world. One important event that…
‘It’s Only Blood’ Fights Stigma And Shame Around Menstruation
Millions people around the world experience menstruation. It is a basic biological bodily function and yet menstruation is often viewed as something shameful. Regardless of a person’s economic, political and social standing, if a person…
The Daily Reality Of The Rohingya In Bangladesh
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) is a humanitarian medical organisation that has been working with the Rohingya refugees since 2009. It has been providing much needed medical care to the people who have been affected by the violence that was…
“I Felt TB Was A Poor People’s Disease, So It Meant I Was Poor.”
As the South African TB Conference kicked off this week, The Daily Vox spoke to medical profession Dr Ausie Nkhi who was once diagnosed with uterus tuberculosis. Dr Nkhi shared her experience living with TB that left her womb scarred for…
SA’s 5th TB Conference Focuses On Tracking Missing TB Patients
The South African 5th TB Conference returned on Tuesday, 12 June after a four year hiatus. This year’s slogan, “Step Up, Let's Embrace all to End TB”, and new theme, “Finding the missing TB patients”, explored efforts to track down the…
Living With Gigantomastia When Private And Public Hospitals Will Not Help
Cami Neelse suffers from the rare illness known as gigantomastia. This is a rare condition which is characterised by excessive breast growth. It may occur spontaneously, during puberty or pregnancy, or while taking certain medications. She…
In Conversation With SA’s Youngest Doctor, Sandile Kubheka
It’s always fascinating to see young people doing remarkable things. Dr Sandile Kubheka graduated medicine at the age of 20, becoming the youngest doctor to practise medicine in South Africa. The gifted Kubheka began his formal schooling at…
Sibongile Komati On Living With Lupus
Living with lupus can be life threatening. Research has shown that this chronic illness mainly targets women, which can result to long-term effects like body organ or pregnancy problems. Sibongile Komati reflects on when she found out that…
Medical Graduates Still Await Placement
All South African medical interns and community service doctors who were eligible for placement have finally been allocated and offered placement, according to a statement by the department of health (DoH) on 18 May. However, there are…
The Stigma Of Loving Someone Who Died Of AIDS
I make it a point to tell anyone I date that I once had a partner that died of AIDS. So many loved ones have lost their lives because of the stigma attached to HIV, and I refuse to enter into a relationship with someone who carries those…
Everything You Need To Know About Lupus
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), or commonly known as lupus, is a chronic disease that mainly affects women, causing severe effects which can lead to death. Mainly targeting young and middle-aged women of colour, the lifelong threatening…
HIV Transmission Through Hair Clippers: Experts Say No
Reports by various publications on a study by the Skin and Hair Research Laboratory at the University of Cape Town, which said that barber hair clippers can transmit HIV and Hepatitis B, have been refuted by medical experts. Various…
Sexual Health: Here’s Why You Need To Invest In PrEP
South Africa is one of the many countries facing an HIV/Aids pandemic with a prevalence rate of about 12.8% of the total of the South African population. According to Statistics South Africa more than seven million South Africans are…
Contraceptives Shortages Are Devastating Women In KZN
Women in KwaZulu Natal have expressed concerns over shortage of injectable contraceptives from local clinics. This, after they had been turned away and told to try pharmacies or private doctors to access the contraceptives; or opt out for…
KZN Health’s LLETZ Procedure To Curb Cervical Cancer Deaths
The department of health in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday unveiled 15 new cervical cancer machine to help reduce the waiting periods for cervical cancer treatment in the province. Speaking at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, the…
KZN Health’s Prayer Solution For Healthworker And Student Deaths
On Monday, 26 March, the KwaZulu-Natal member of the executive council (MEC) for health Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo held a prayer meeting in Addington Hospital, Durban, in remembrance of all healthcare workers who died tragically from different…
David Mabuza Urges Leaders And Citizens To Stand Together And Fight TB And HIV
On Thursday thousands braved inclement weather and gathered at the Cato Manor sports ground to be addressed by deputy president David Mabuza and Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini in commemoration of World TB Day. Speaking in his first official…
A Tortured Wait For These Unplaced Medical Graduates
“My love for a challenge and working with people pushed me towards the field of medicine,” says Tanaka Gomba (23) in an interview with The Daily Vox. He was set on studying medicine since he was excelling in biology in grade 11 back in…
How Polony Is Made
The listeriosis outbreak in South Africa has taken the lives of 180 people so far and a further 948 have fallen ill. Last week, the department of health announced that it had traced the source of the outbreak, which is ready-to-eat,…
5 Alternatives To “Listeria Meat”
South Africans are suffering a polony panic. This came after an Enterprise Foods facility in Polokwane, Limpopo was pointed as the ground zero for the listeria outbreak. Enterprise has since recalled their products from the shelves which…