Cobras & cures: Why the world is running chronically low on snake antivenom
Each year, millions will be bitten by venomous snakes and for many, antivenom will remain painfully out of reach. Discovering why is a tale...
‘God make us strong, I beg you, keep Luphumlo alive’
Mia Malan describes the arduous trek an Eastern Cape woman had to undertake to get medical attention for her sick grandson.
Gaming medicine: Virtual reality is bringing real-time relief for chronic pain
Virtual reality isn’t just for video games anymore. It’s revolutionising medicine, including the way we manage pain.
Headaches, heartaches & pregnancy: Could this stem preeclampsia’s deadly tide?
This silent killer stalks expecting mothers around the world and is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in South Africa. But still,...
Pregnant? Need an abortion? Here’s where not to go
Are faith-based NGOs breaking the law when they refuse to give women information on where to terminate their pregnancies?
[From our archives] ‘If they are raped, then so what?’
Mentally disabled people in the rural Eastern Cape are considered worthless, even evil. When girls are sexually abused, mothers are no longer shocked.
DRC to SA: No escape from rape’s war
Abused women from war-torn countries who have fled to SA for safety often face more maltreatment here.
Why science could finally be close to solving this birth control riddle
We could be just months away from knowing whether Depo-Provera use is linked to a higher risk of HIV infection in women.
Anyone can catch this drug-resistant bug. Surviving treatment is another story.
For years, catching this drug-resistant bacteria meant painful treatment that risked your hearing and mental health. Now, that could be changing.
Is DIY HIV testing the latest Cape Town trend?
It starts with a swab but does it end with a diagnosis? Why the trickiest part of DIY HIV testing happens after the test.
Afraid of death? Take comfort that you’ll live on in varied and surprising ways
Most of us would rather not know what happens to our bodies after death. But that breakdown gives birth to new life in unexpected ways.
This is what it’s like waking up during surgery
General anaesthetic is supposed to make surgery painless. Now there’s evidence that one person in 20 may be awake when doctors think they’re under.
Could this finally solve the Eastern Cape’s cancer mystery?
The substances that cause cancer leave their fingerprints behind. Now, the world may be closer than ever to unravelling the clues hidden in our DNA.
Caesarean vs vaginal birth: A mother’s choice, not her doctor’s
C-sections may result in fewer lawsuits, but they are not always the best option.
SA’s moonlight sonata: The illegal cash cow draining specialist care at state hospitals
Specialist doctors at many state facilities aren’t showing up to work despite earning millions of rands a year in taxpayer money. The consequences for patient health can be devastating but not everyone agrees on the solutions.
This slashed rates of violence by 70% in some areas. Could it work in...
In many ways, violence is like cholera, passing from person to person and treating it in similar ways is working to reduce it.