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#SliceofLife: I never knew my dad — because my mom didn’t want me to

Abigail Olivier’s* mother was angry at the father of her child. So she made sure that he couldn’t have a relationship with his daughter. As an adult, Olivier realised it could be a case of what some experts call parental alienation.

TB talks: Will #UNGA78 change these three lives?

In the past five years, none of the targets political leaders adopted after the previous round of high-level discussions on the fight against tuberculosis (TB) at the United Nations General Assembly have been met. Today, talks will focus on how to get us back on track to end the disease by 2030.

When parents behave badly

Parents embroiled in custody disputes can turn on each other — and use their children as pawns in their battle. But claims of parental alienation are controversial and difficult to prove. In the end both children and parents lose.

‘Call me Tumi’: Meet the young woman who heads SA’s medicines regulator

Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela leads the country’s medicines regulator, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra), a public entity few people knew about until the COVID-19 pandemic hit. COVID triggered a noisy scramble for vaccines, tests and treatments that needed to be approved — often embroiled in politics.
Vicious cycle: At some point

Painkillers can be a big headache

Migraine sufferers may not realise that drug overuse can be a large part of the problem.
Tens of thousands of men crisscross Zimbabwe as long-haul truck drivers and the risks they face aren't just on the road.

Go inside the trucker craze fuelling a blackmarket in dangerous ‘sex enhancers’

The products themselves could be dangerous and are likely to encourage high-risk sexual behaviour.
Graffiti on a wall in Diepsloot where a penis is likened to an AK47. The Sonke Change found that men are about three times more likely to rape or beat a woman if they are a problem drinker.

Nine factors that make a man more likely to rape or beat a woman

Men who abuse women have often been victims of maltreatment themselves resulting to the intergenerational cycling of abuse.

Sexual violence and unintended pregnancy in South Africa: Is there a link?

A study among adolescents and young women in South African universities found that girls who had experienced sexual violence were more likely to report an unintended pregnancy compared with those who had never experienced sexual violence.

Dirty Sprite: The DIY high that keeps SA schoolchildren numb

Codeine is found in mild painkillers and cough syrups, and is sometimes mixed with Sprite or alcohol to make a drink called “lean”.
Open wide: Good oral health could keep gum disease and other serious ailments such as cardiovascular disease at bay.

Sex life leaving a bad taste in your mouth?

Poor oral hygiene doesn't just affect your gums; it can also lead to impotence.
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Need an abortion? Find clinics you can trust here

This database shows you where you can find safe family planning services near you. It’s verified two to four times a year by a dedicated team of data capturers and ‘secret shopper’ callers.

‘We take the fish out of the water’: Three myths about vasectomies – busted

A vasectomy is a permanent form of contraception for men. During this surgical procedure, the tubes that take sperm from the testicles to the glands that make semen are cut — in about the time of a lunch break.
Families await medical treatment outside the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Ayushman Bharat

‘This is the first time government has done something concrete for the poor’

This country tested out a national health insurance. Find out what happened next.
Parents with mental illness

Growing up with a mother who has schizophrenia is tough on a child

When a parent is diagnosed with a mental illness, the chances of emotional support are decreased and the risk of family discord is high.
Less than half of designated public abortion clinics actually provide the service. Here's how we know that.

#SizaMap: Find a safe, legal abortion near you with this list of designated providers

Until now, the national and provincial health departments have not been able to say where services are provided. Here's how we found them.

#SliceofLife: I uncovered a child sex trafficking ring in my grade one class

When a primary school teacher in the Western Cape suspected that one of her pupils was being sexually abused, she did everything she could to help. Here’s what happened next.