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).
The battle against HIV in sub-Saharan Africa has always been as much about systems and science as about the virus itself. Antiretroviral therapy has turned what was once a death sentence into a manageable condition.
Yet, as Dr Monray Williams of the North-West University (NWU) cautions, “millions of people still face barriers to prevention and treatment. Poverty, limited healthcare infrastructure, and social stigma continue to shape who gets care and who does not.”
Caregivers of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS carry responsibilities that shape family stability and community support. A new study has produced health-promotion strategies to strengthen their ability to care and sustain their own well-being.
Efforts to strengthen mental health awareness and policy in South Africa were in focus as Prof Leepile Sehularo from the North-West University (NWU) received the “Special Impact Mental Health Award” during the first Keturah Mental Health Awards in South Africa.
“I am honoured to receive this award,” said Prof Sehularo. “It reflects the collective effort of professionals, students and partners who are committed to building stronger mental health systems. Our work must continue to centre on inclusion, access and collaboration.”
In a country where quality healthcare and innovation are vital to social progress, health research stands as one of South Africa’s most powerful tools for change. Recognising this, the North-West University’s (NWU) Faculty of Health Sciences partnered with the Sedibeng District Health Services to co-host this year’s Research Day on 24 October 2025 at Tsebonokeng Hall, Vanderbijlpark Campus; an event the district has successfully organised on its own for the past 13 years.
The Centre for Health Professions Education (CHPE) at the North-West University (NWU) has earned prestigious recognition from the World Health Organization (WHO) after being selected as a winner in the WHO AFRO Network of Partner Institutions (NPI) for Health Systems.
Book launches represent important academic milestones. On 23 September 2025, the Faculty of Theology at the North-West University (NWU) hosted a book launch and celebration that highlighted the value of international research and academic exchange.
Nutrition can be used as a tool to control inflammation and address conditions such as tuberculosis (TB) and iron deficiency. In her recent inaugural lecture, North-West University (NWU) Prof Linda Malan drew on findings from years of research to highlight how omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and iron can influence immune function and offer new pathways for treating disease and improving public health.
What happens in the lab should not stay there. That was the central message from Prof Anja Franken of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Health Sciences, who used her inaugural lecture to argue that occupational health research must move beyond academic journals and into workplaces where it can save lives.
“Research must not remain in journals and laboratories,” Prof Franken said on 19 September 2025. “Like a baton, it must be passed from theory into training, from data into decisions, from experience into education.”
The School of Psychosocial Health at the North-West University (NWU) hosted the second Social Workers in Schools (SWIS) International Conference from 10 to 12 September on the Vanderbijlpark Campus of the NWU. The first international conference was held in the United Kingdom during 2024, and the conference in South Africa was the very first of its kind in the country. The conference brought together practitioners, researchers, scholars, teachers and policymakers to share insights and create solutions for learners.