News and analysis

South Africa plans to make opioid substitutes such as methadone available at all state clinics and hospitals over the next five years. Methadone helps wean people off drugs such as heroin. Here are the five things the government needs to do to get this right.

About a third of the dust in your home is carried in on the soles of people’s shoes, and some of it can be bad for people, such as microplastics or poisonous substances like lead. The solution is pretty simple and the science is clear-cut. Leave your shoes outside.

A monthly vaginal ring loaded with antiretroviral medication ould reduce women’s risk of contracting HIV, becoming the first long-acting form of PrEP.

South Africa needs to produce more electricity to end loadshedding. But at the same time we also need to move away from coal-fired power to fight global warming. In this tug-of-war, people who live close to power stations will keep falling ill from breathing in dirty air.

Most adults are at risk of contracting the painful viral infection – but until now only a few specialised medicines have been available to treat it.

The small study looking to repurpose an old TB vaccine could help add to a growing field of science that asks, can you really reprogramme your immune system?

Being conscious of good eating habits goes a long way towards winning the battle of the bulge.

More women are having C-section births in SA, but authors of the 2013/2014 District Health Barometer warn that this increase is "a matter of concern".

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says a recent survey is proof that SA should be concerned with the prevalence of chronic conditions in the country.

Ramaphosa and Motsoaledi are expected to draw high praise at a UN meeting this week. Find out why.

We spoke to experts, looked at the data of studies and relistened to Sunday’s health department briefing to break it down.

Three years later, almost a dozen patients are still missing.

Men who have sex with men can now take on-demand pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, safely.

Experts say confusion over the rights of local healthcare workers to provide the service while receiving US funds only benefits Trump administration.

In theory medical aids fund ARVs, but in practice it's a complex process, say doctors and activists.

Police are inadequately trained and social services too poorly resourced to deal with all of the reported cases of child abuse.