Where tomorrow’s medicines begin and Africa’s health future is forged

South Africa’s pharmaceutical landscape is marked by ambition, urgency and stark inequities. The continent carries 25 percent of the global disease burden but produces only a fraction of the medicines it consumes. Bridging this gap requires more than scientific talent; it demands infrastructure, accreditation and an ecosystem that can move a…

Prof. Siedine Coetzee elected to the board of the Academy of Nursing of South Africa (ANSA)

The Faculty of Health Sciences proudly congratulates Prof. Siedine Coetzee, NRF SARChI Chair in Nursing Science (Tier 1) and esteemed researcher at the North-West University (NWU), on her election to the board of the Academy of Nursing of South Africa (ANSA) – a distinguished recognition of her leadership and lifelong contribution to the…

Why presence may be healthcare’s most radical skill

In an era when healthcare is increasingly shaped by technology, efficiency metrics and digital interfaces, the oldest element of care remains the most radical: the act of being fully present. At North-West University (NWU), Prof Tinda Rabie from the Quality in Nursing and Midwifery (NuMIQ) programme, argues that the future of compassionate care…

This is how the NWU is engineering a healthier South Africa

• Engineers cannot fix healthcare alone, and clinicians cannot carry the burden without systems support. The NWU is bridging this gap.

• Healthcare systems engineering can be seen as an umbrella term where the healthcare habitat is viewed as a complex system that encompasses technical, organisational, human, and policy dimensions.…

Healthier lifestyles are key to preventing diabetes

By Gosego Phutieagae

As the world commemorates International Diabetes Day on 14 November, the Mahikeng Campus of the North-West University (NWU) reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening awareness on diabetes prevention and management. In the weeks leading up to the global observance, the Obesity and…

CHHP explores the dynamics of couples and family therapy

Dr Rümando Kok

Interview between Prof Pieter Kruger, director of the CHHP, and Dr Rümando Kok

Navigating human relationships can be a maze of conflict and misunderstandings, especially in the close-knit relationship dynamics of couples and families.  The North-West University’s (NWU) Centre…

Building leaders to tackle hunger and malnutrition across Africa

For more than two decades, the African Nutrition Leadership Programme (ANLP) of the North-West University (NWU) has been shaping the future of nutrition leadership on the continent. Since its first programme in 2002, this flagship 10-day residential initiative, hosted annually at the NWU, has developed over 500…

Academic recognised for scientific excellence in lifestyle diseases, mental health and health education

The South African Health Excellence Awards has recognised Prof. Leepile Sehularo, director of the Lifestyle Diseases research entity at the North-West University (NWU), who received the Second Runner-up Award for Scientific Excellence.

The awards ceremony was held on 8 November 2025 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Gauteng, co-hosted…

A solemn commitment to ethics, competence, and care

The atmosphere was charged with purpose and pride at the solemn declaration of second-year social work students on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Vanderbijlpark Campus. 

Held at the Tsebonokeng Hall in October, the solemn declaration holds profound meaning. It is a…

Building healthier communities together: NWU and local communities co-create knowledge for lasting impact

Community engagement is not just a programme. It is a partnership, a shared journey, and a commitment to listen, understand, and grow together,” said Prof Awie Kotze, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the North-West University (NWU).

This ethos came to life during a three-day community-led knowledge co-creation seminar…