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Bouncing back: Rabia Khan and her son

Saving baby Zia from a rare disease

A procedure new to SA has allowed a young mother to give part of her liver to save her son.
Bloody business: Aborted foetuses at an illegal abortion clinic in Jo'burg.

Abortion turns into a nightmare

Personal beliefs sometimes collide with healthcare providers’ professional responsibilities.
Eddie Mhlanga is one of the authors of the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act.

#SliceOfLife: ‘I opened her up and found her womb was rotten from the infection’

Obstetrician Eddie Mhlanga often had to attend to women who had unsafe abortions during apartheid, when abortion was illegal in South Africa.

Dying for a souvlaki: How climate change fuels inequality

This July, Greek islands were far from idyllic. In fact, people working in the tourism industry there say it was hell. With raging wildfires and surging temperatures, the effects of climate change are hitting home.
What’s behind mysterious cancer hot spots popping up all over the world?

‘Cancer treatment in the North West is impossible’

Activists say that at least one patient has been trying to get treatment since 2013.
The high cost of care means that many people cannot afford treatment for bipolar

The high cost of being bipolar

Patients are subject to wild mood swings and costly spending sprees,but they can be treated with the right medicine - and a lot of money.
An Apostolic woman walks along train tracks on her way back from a mountain prayer session.

Mothers and babies at risk in Apostolic church ‘birth camps’

Leaders of Zimbabwe's Apostolic sects are warming to the idea of women giving birth at health clinics.
Mouthing off: Most medical schemes ignore the advice that if they provide adequately for oral health

Medical aids have dentists over a barrel

Dentists say the reduced rates paid out by medical schemes are putting them out of business.

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.
At the African Children's Feeding Scheme in Soweto children are guaranteed three meals a day.

‘Magic bullet’ to feed the world by 2030

A change in mind-set is required because feeding schemes alone cannot put an end to malnutrition.

Five years of compulsory state service for these doctors. Will it stop brain drain?

The Nigerian government wants to stop medical professionals from leaving to countries including the United Kingdom and the United States by making it mandatory for doctors to work in state hospitals for five years.

Listeria: Follow SA’s medical sleuths as they chase a killer in a race against...

Bond, James Bond: The source of the listeria outbreak will likely be found by a gene-sequencing machine named after the famous agent 007. (Delwyn Verasamy)
Your blood sugar could have more to do with your moods than you think.

Why life with this common condition can be an emotional rollercoaster

Having a chronic illness can raise your risk of depression. For diabetics, the blood sugar high and lows of everyday life take an extra toll.
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#SliceOfLife: ‘Let’s pray you’ll be okay. My escape from a backyard drug rehab

South Africa plans to roll out treatment for opioid addiction to all government health facilities by 2028, according to a draft of the country’s sixth HIV action plan. Read one person’s story of recovery here.
A family working in Malawi’s tobacco fields.

Big Tobacco faces landmark legal case over poverty wages

Lawyers argue that while farming families toil over backbreaking work in desperate poverty, British American Tobacco is reaping the rewards.
Lifting a load: Aerobics is helping sometimes suspicious elderly people in Diepsloot to deal with mental illness in their families and community.

Gogos step up for peace of mind

Depression among the elderly is largely overlooked, but exercise can help to counter it.