Why are so few South African women exclusively breastfeeding their infants?

Women all over the world know how important breastfeeding is, especially exclusively breastfeeding infants younger than six months old. Unfortunately, only 32% of South African women are doing it.

In light of International Breastfeeding Week taking place from 1 to 7 August and themed “Empowering parents, enable breastfeeding”,…

NWU students provide warmth to NICU babies at Klerksdorp Hospital

Student midwives at the School of Nursing Science (SONS) at the North-West University (NWU) recently donated baby blankets to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the Klerksdorp Hospital.

Sr Ingrid van der Walt, lecturer at the SONS, says this was part of their community engagement project supporting developmental care of…

Wellness of North West communities a priority

It is a disturbing fact that approximately 61% of the North West population is classified as impoverished. This shocking figure is the biggest contributing factor to the inadequate wellness of communities in this province, and according to the government it is an important social, economic and political developmental challenge.

The…

Autism Symposium spotlights experiences of people with autism

The Institute of Psychology and Wellbeing at the North-West University (NWU) and Autism South Africa (A;SA) will soon host their fourth Autism Symposium.

The symposium, which has grown into a national event, is not only for academics and professionals who work with autism, but also offers people on the autism spectrum the opportunity…

Major funding awarded to large-scale collaborative projects at NWU

“In this period of economic austerity, governments are forced to cut their spending and budgets in order to remain financially viable or sustainable. Universities are therefore more and more challenged to find alternative means to meet the growing demands of financial resources to fulfil the academic project.”

Prof Refilwe Phaswana…

New drug discoveries are a triple offensive against malaria and TB

Researchers from three South African universities are unleashing the power of oxygen in a triple-drug treatment strategy against disease-causing parasites and bacteria.

Oxygen is the key to life – and that applies as much to parasites and bacteria that cause malaria, tuberculosis (TB) and certain other related diseases as it does to…

Graduation ceremony signals dawn of new generation of impact makers

“A graduation ceremony is essentially a symbolic recognition of a new generation of leaders, opinion-makers, experts, artists, scientists and entrepreneurs. In short: a day when the doers of tomorrow step to the fore to be counted as proud stewards of sustainability, innovation and progress.”

This is according to Prof Linda du Plessis, deputy…

Research identifies novel treatment options for rare disease

The research of a brilliant postgraduate student at the North-West University (NWU) is a breakthrough in the understanding of mitochondrial disease and identifying novel treatment options for patients.

Karin Terburgh investigated mitochondrial disease as part of her MSc studies, using mice already suffering from this disease, known as…

Come and experience racial differences through the eye of technology

The North-West University recently launched an initiative to put racial differences among staff and students under the spotlight and to emphasise the importance of understanding these differences.

Organisers of the event feel that confronting race at a South African university involves studying the relationship between race and…

Who is the healthiest university?

In their efforts to promote wellness in the workplace, the Employee Wellness Division of the University of the Free State introduced the “Healthy4Health” Pedometer Challenge 2019, challenging all employees of the North-West University (NWU) to take part.

This challenge has been designed to get employees more physically active and…