Health Sciences News

Academic claims three gold medals at national track cycling championships

Prof. Pieter Kruger, director at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Centre for Health and Human Performance, opened his national cycling campaign with outstanding results in sprint and endurance events at the South African Track Cycling Championships. The event took place from 1 to 6 April 2026 at the Bellville Velodrome in Cape Town.

NWU plays leading role in advancing health professions education quality standards for Africa

The North-West University (NWU), through its Centre for Health Professions Education (CHPE), recently played a key role in a major continental initiative to strengthen the quality of health professions education across Africa.

From 16 to 18 March 2026, the NWU hosted the World Health Organization (WHO)…

NWU appoints founding chief director of the Desmond Tutu School of Medicine

The North-West University (NWU) has reached a significant milestone in its academic and institutional development with the appointment of Prof. Binu Luke as the inaugural chief director of the Desmond Tutu School of Medicine, effective from 1 April 2026.

This landmark appointment…

International partnership targets perinatal mental health care in rural South Africa

Long-term capacity building is required to address perinatal mood disorders which affect more than a third of women in South Africa, negatively impacting individuals and families.

To address this, local, international health care professionals and academics met in Mahikeng from 9 to 13 March 2026. The purpose was to advance a joint…

Nursing student wins WorldSkills South Africa competition

North-West University (NWU) nursing student Mecayla Johnson will represent South Africa at the 46th International WorldSkills Competition after winning the WorldSkills South Africa Occupational Standards national competition.

Mecayla represented the NWU at the national competition from 8 to 12 March 2026 in KwaZulu-Natal where she…

Crisis, trauma and how they affect you differently

 

Dr Monique de Klerk is a senior counselling psychologist at the NWU's Centre for Health and Human Performance (CHHP)

Dr Monique de Klerk knows the difference between the theoretical and the practical. As a senior counselling psychologist at the Centre for Health and Human Performance…

Prof. Machailo appointed to national nursing leadership role at FUNDISA

Prof. Rorisang Machailo from the School of Nursing in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the North-West University (NWU) has been appointed as the nursing practice portfolio chair at the Forum for University Nursing Departmental heads of South Africa (FUNDISA).

Her appointment recognises her knowledge of clinical practice and her…

Early action is crucial as researchers warn of rising high blood pressure in children

A significant global health concern is that growing numbers of children and adolescents worldwide are developing high blood pressure. Newly published research highlights childhood hypertension, once considered rare in young people, as a rapidly growing health problem and a powerful predictor of cardiovascular and kidney disease later in life.…

Olympic champions flock to Potchefstroom for altitude and facilities

While Europe is in the icy grip of winter, athletes are sharpening their form in Potchefstroom, drawn by the altitude, climate and a high-performance sport hub that has quietly become a base for Olympic gold medallists.

Members of the Netherlands’ Olympic gold-winning 4x400 m mixed relay team, including Femke Bol, Lieke Klaver and Isaya…

Social work students take ubudlelane into the community

For social work students at North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus ubuntu is no longer a concept only discussed in lectures. It is becoming a structured community programme with students preparing to lead projects that strengthen support networks in local neighbourhoods through a growing framework known as ubudlelane.

The…