Prof Leepile Sehularo, an associate professor in the North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Nursing, conducted a literature review in line with the theme for World Mental Health Day 2022 – “Mental Health in an Unequal World”.

The World Federation for Mental Health has encouraged researchers to share their knowledge about mental health inequality and to suggest ways how this inequality may be addressed.

Written from a South African perspective, Prof Sehularo’s paper was submitted to and accepted by the Journal of Gender and Behaviour.

Climate change, environmental destruction and the collapse of biodiversity pose a severe threat to the planet and mankind, and especially to poor and marginalised communities.

The threat may be even greater for citizens of South Africa as the southern African region has been identified as a hotspot. In recent years, South Africa has experienced significant changes in weather patterns, fuelling concerns about their impact on vulnerable people. This has in turn given rise to a new branch of social work known as environmental social work (ESW).

On 4 May 2022 a delegation from the Sasol Foundation visited the subject group Chemistry on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus.

President Cyril Ramaphosa recently signed into effect three anti gender-based violence bills that will afford victims more protection.

These amendments will, among other things, allow victims to apply for protection orders online without having to appear in court, and will require all sexual offenders to be placed on a national registry.

The Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Bill, Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Bill, and Domestic Violence Amendment Bill were all signed into law.

Blood is the life-giving substance that flows through our veins, but if the pressure in our veins becomes too high it can be detrimental to our health.

Phenyo Mokgothu

Globally, one of the main causes of street homelessness is chronic mental illness, and South Africa is no different. Researchers from the North-West University (NWU) have some recommendations on how the plight of these vulnerable people can be alleviated.

Bertie Jacobs

Malaria is a global killer, a disease that destroys human lives and the economies of countries in which it thrives.

According to the latest figures by the World Health Organization (WHO), there were 241 million cases of malaria in 2020, with an estimated 627 000 deaths.

The director of the Centre for Health and Human Performance (CHHP) at the North-West University (NWU), Prof Pieter Kruger, applied his knowledge of sport science and performance psychology brilliantly in winning the 20 km points race during the South African Track Cycling Championships at the Bellville Velodrome.  He had a very successful week riding in the masters’ category too and claimed three silver medals (in the individual pursuit, team sprint and team pu

Phenyo Mokgothu

Deaths from Tuberculosis (TB) have increased globally for the first time in over a decade. This is according to the World Health Organisation’s Global TB Report that was released in October 2021. The increase in deaths is due to “reduced access to TB diagnosis and treatment in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic”, the report found.

The situation is no different in South Africa. In December, Health Minister Joe Phaahla confirmed that Covid-19 had side-lined the fight against TB, as well as HIV and Aids. 

Mafumane Thlapi

High prevalence rates of alcohol use among students in higher education are a public health concern. This is according to a study conducted by Prof Miriam Moagi from the School of Nursing at the North-West University (NWU).

Prof Moagi reviewed existing evidence to address alcohol abuse among students from a demand-reduction approach. The article is from her PhD study, which was guided by the National Drug Master Plan (NDMP) pillars 2013–2017. The three pillars are demand reduction, harm reduction and supply reduction.