Prof Leepile Alfred Sehularo’s research on mental health and substance abuse has resulted in the development of a programme that is designed to support both adults and learners and focuses especially on the abuse of illegal substances in North West.

He is the director of the Lifestyle Disease research niche area in Nursing in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the North-West University (NWU). “I started with this research during my master’s-degree studies. My research explores the perceptions of psychiatric patients regarding marijuana use.”

A sports vision programme can significantly improve visual and motor skills in young netball players. This is according to the research findings of Prof Dané Coetzee from the School of Biokinetics, Recreation and Sport Science at the North-West University (NWU) and her research partner Dr Elna van der Merwe.

Their research article, titled “An exploratory investigation of the effect of a sports vision programme on Grade 4 and 5 female netball players’ visual skills”, was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Mental health in the healthcare system is beginning to receive the attention it deserves. Prof Leepile Sehularo, a professor of psychiatry and mental health nursing at the North-West University (NWU), has been nominated for the Nurse Researcher Award at the South African Nursing Council (SANC) Nursing Excellence Awards.

The SANC is an independent regulatory body that oversees standards in nursing education and practice throughout South Africa. It was established by the Nursing Act of 1944 and now operates under the Nursing Act of 2005.

Improvements in the North West province’s support systems for psychiatric nurses would directly impact the quality of care for children with mental health issues.

This is one of the findings of a recent study led by Dr Rorisang Machailo, an academic at the School of Nursing at the North-West University (NWU). She focused on developing strategies to address the gaps in resources, training and support for psychiatric nurses caring for children with mental health issues in the province.

Researchers across the faculties at the NWU continue to produce exciting work in their fields of expertise.

We introduce the work of two researchers - Prof Muchativugwa Liberty Hove, deputy director of the School of Language in Education, and Dr Wihan Pheiffer, senior lecturer at the DSI/NWU Preclinical Drug Development Platform (PCDDP).Tumi Ledwaba, a lecturer in History, and Prof Tycho Maas, extraordinary researcher in the School for Ancient Language and Text Studies.

The North-West University (NWU’s) Puseletso Lesofe, a medical biological scientist on the Potchefstroom Campus, was announced the winner in the STEMI category of the 2024 Mail & Guardian Power of Women Awards on 29 August.

This specific award celebrates the accomplishments of women making significant contributions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and innovation (STEMI).

North-West University (NWU) students Luciano Willemse, a PhD student in biochemistry, and Nadia Olivier, a PhD student in pharmacology, excelled in the virtual provincial FameLab competition held on 10 September.

The Faculty of Health Science at the North-West University (NWU) officially launched the Sinapi Language Application during the university’s annual Language Awareness Week on the Potchefstroom Campus on 29 August.

In a collaborative effort, through a service agreement between the NWU and Ambani Africa, this revolutionary language application aims to address the linguistic gap between faculty students and patients during their compulsory work-based learning.

The World Health Organisation's Global Patient Safety Action Plan envisions a future where no patient suffers harm during hospitalisation by the year 2030. A crucial element in achieving this objective is the establishment of hospital settings where discussions about errors are both easy and accepted among healthcare professionals.

Medical errors represent significant challenges within healthcare systems, and Dr Sabelile Tenza from the North-West University (NWU) advocates for environments that encourage the reporting of such errors.

The North-West University (NWU) is dedicated to playing an impactful role on the African continent in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

A prime example of this is the African Nutrition Leadership Programme (ANLP) of the Centre of Excellence in Nutrition (CEN) at the NWU that has for 22 years been making meaningful contributions towards achieving zero hunger (Goal 2), good health and well-being (Goal 3), and quality education (Goal 4).