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[WATCH] ‘I’m a warrior’: How the anti-HIV injection empowers young women

An anti-HIV injection called CAB-LA has just been approved by South Africa’s medicines regulator, and the health department says it could be in clinics by August 2023 — but only if the price is right. In Cape Town, more than 200 women have been using the two-monthly jab as part of a study. We spoke to three of them.
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[LISTEN] Me & My sex life: How and when to get tested

This is the fourth podcast in our ‘Me & My’ series with Dr Sindi van Zyl. In this episode, Dr Sindi answers all our questions about what to do if you think you have a sexually transmitted infection.

[WATCH] How much is the sugar tax on a can of Coke?

Soft drink manufacturers in SA have been paying a “sugar tax” since 2018 to encourage them to decrease how much sugar goes into their drinks. We show you how to calculate the sugar tax paid on a can of Coke in this short video.

[WATCH] E-motive: An acronym that can save 22 000 lives every year

A new study from hospitals in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania shows the number of women who die because of bleeding after vaginal birth can be slashed by more than half. Watch this video to find out how.

[WATCH] How to keep people on HIV treatment during a flood

What happens when there’s a natural disaster, like a flood, and people living with HIV aren’t able to take their chronic medication? Watch to find out what can be done to make sure their treatment isn’t interrupted.

Health Beat #5 | ‘We’ve lost many sisters’: Why SA sex workers’ lives could...

South Africa’s justice department plans to scrap old laws that make it a crime to sell or buy sex. This could make life safer for workers because they should be able to report crimes to the police — in theory.
Study: How and where you're most likely to get raped

Study: How and where you’re most likely to get raped

A recently released study on rape reveals that children are generally raped on weekday afternoons, but adults over weekends. Our Mia Malan explains.

Job rights, better healthcare and taxes: What life could look like for SA sex...

The justice department is currently reviewing comments from activists, academics and civil society on a proposed new law to decriminalise sex work. They will then ask the cabinet to take it to parliament before it can become law. Mia Malan interviews Deputy Justice Minister, John Jeffery, and United Nations special rapporteur on the right to health, Tlaleng Mofokeng, about what's next for sex workers.

How the health department plans to stop discrimination in clinics

How does the health department deal with doctors and nurses discriminating against patients who have a higher chance of contracting HIV? Teaching them about being sensitive and trying to understand the cause of the issue, says Thato Chidarikire, acting head of HIV programmes at the department. Mia Malan found out more during this interview for Bhekisisa’s monthly TV show, Health Beat.

[WATCH] How did South Africa’s illicit tobacco trade get so bad?

Independent research shows 54% of cigarettes sold in South Africa are illegal, which means the taxman is losing revenue, and the country’s anti-smoking plans are becoming less effective. Watch this to find out why.
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[WATCH] How two women are changing the way trans women are treated

How would you feel if you visit a clinic because you’re sick, but the doctor or nurse who helps you, laughs at you, rather than treats you? That’s the kind of treatment Luyanda Mzimela and Viyonce Mabena frequently get. Our TV team paid them a visit.

[WATCH] A tale of two systems: How public and private cancer services compare

Imagine finding out you have cancer but your medical aid won't cover your treatment because of another health condition. This was the case for Louise Turner just as she was starting a new job. Our TV team takes you to see what cancer care looks like in two health systems — one public and one private.

Health Beat #6 | ‘Suddenly you become anxious and angry’: How loadshedding impacts mental...

There have been 422 days of rolling black-outs since 2020 and it’s taken a toll on South Africans’ mental health. A survey by the South African Depression and Anxiety Group reveals that people are dealing with anxiety, more family conflict and thoughts of self death.

[WATCH] How to stop South Africa’s codeine problem

More teens are showing up at drug treatment centres to kick a codeine habit. Some codeine products such as Stilpane are available over the counter without a prescription, so what can be done to prevent abuse? Find out in this video.

Health Beat #7 | Weight loss drugs may work — but won’t end obesity...

Losing weight is hard. For many people, diets and exercise don't work in the long term. Genetics can also play a role in people’s body weight (and their ability to lose it). In this month’s episode of our television show, Health Beat, we speak to two people who've used the weight loss drug, semaglutide.

These doctors want to work in SA’s rural hospitals. But there’s no money to...

A scholarship programme has been producing doctors for South Africa’s understaffed rural hospitals since 1999, but provinces don’t have the money to employ their recent graduates. Could the country’s planned National Health Insurance scheme fix this?