Health Sciences

NWU’s Prof. Ushotanefe Useh to help shape sustainability in South African higher education

Prof. Ushotanefe Useh, Deputy Dean for Community Engagement and Stakeholder Relations at North-West University's Faculty of Health Sciences, has been appointed Chairperson of the Academic Subcommittee of Universities South Africa's Higher Education Sustainability Community of Practice (HESCoP) and has joined its Executive Committee, effective April 2026.

Submitted on

From grandfather’s farm to Farminist: Alumnus grows agriculture business from social media roots

Mosa Seshoene still remembers school holidays spent on her grandfather’s farm in Turfloop, Limpopo. Long before she built a business and started supplying vegetables to local markets, her days were filled with picking tomatoes, spraying crops, and feeding chickens and pigs. Those routines, she says, laid the foundation for a career in agriculture that now spans from farm fields to digital platforms.

Submitted on

Research calls for stronger nursing support in psychiatric hospitals in Ghana

Patients battling both substance use disorders and mental illness in psychiatric hospitals in Ghana often rely on nurses for long-term care and recovery support. New research by Dr Frederick Nsatimba argues that these nurses need stronger institutional support, clearer care systems and better resources to improve treatment outcomes.

Submitted on

Indigenous plant study opens new path in cancer treatment research

A plant long used in traditional medicine is now at the centre of research that could shape future cancer treatment options in South Africa and beyond.

Researchers at the North-West University(NWU) are investigating the anti-cancer potential of Lessertia frutescens, commonly known as cancer bush, after laboratory studies showed activity against several forms of cancer, including drug-resistant small cell lung cancer and colorectal cancer.

Submitted on

NWU Convocation Braai celebrates legacy, connection and lasting impact

The Big Lapa at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Vanderbijlpark Campus came alive with energy, emotion and shared memories as members of the NWU Convocation gathered for the NWU Convocation Braai.

The event, a brainchild of NWU Convocation president Tutu Kgobane, brought Convocation members from different generations together for an evening dedicated to reconnecting, reflecting on their journeys and strengthening lifelong ties with the university community.

Submitted on

HART drives collective action against the “silent killer” during May Measurement Month

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, remains the leading preventable cause of premature death worldwide. The Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART) at the North-West University (NWU) is making it their mission to educate people on and raise awareness about the dangers of this “silent killer”.

Submitted on

NWU celebrates European patent for stress and stroke innovation

On 14 May 2026, the Technology Transfer and Innovation Support Office (TTIS) at the North-West University (NWU) hosted a commemorative event to celebrate the granting of a European patent for a novel method to determine the risk of chronic stress and stroke.

The event brought together members of the Faculty of Health Sciences, family, friends and former colleagues of Prof. Leone Malan and her late husband, Prof. Nico Malan, whose decades of research underpin the invention.

Submitted on

School of Nursing celebrates International Nurses’ Day in partnership with Potchefstroom Hospital

On 12 May every year, the global nursing profession celebrates International Nurses’ Day. The theme for this year, announced by the International Council of Nurses (ICN) was “Our nurses, our future. Empowered nurses save lives”.

The attendees at this event were nurses employed at the Potchefstroom Hospital led by the executive management, including the acting CEO, Dr Michael Shakung, Matron Mziwakhe, Matron Aslett and the director for Nursing Education and Training, Evelyn Nkhumane.

Submitted on