In the professional medical and healthcare industry it goes without saying that local experts are often caught up in their own way of doing things.

Breastmilk is known as a superfood that provides babies with immune-building power and brain-boosting properties. When new moms with premature infants cannot express milk, human milk banks (HMB) come to the rescue.

Nursing is a career that chooses you, not the other way round. It demands nothing less than passion and selfless, hard work. Fortunately most nurses are an example of this kind of dedication, but research shows that there is an urgent lack of skills development with regard to leadership in this profession.

One of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) young researchers, Prof Rose Hayeshi from the Faculty of Health Sciences, was recently honoured by the South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS) when she was inducted as one of their newest members.

The late President Nelson Mandela said: “Our children are the rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation. They will be the leaders of our country, the creators of our national wealth, those who care for and protect our people.” There can be no truer words than that.

Although one often sees various initiatives promoting the importance of physical activity for a healthier lifestyle, children with disabilities are seldom included in these projects. One of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) research focus areas is now exploring the possibility of investing its expertise to place the spotlight on these individuals.

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Health Sciences is taking its level of expertise to an even higher level with the recent appointment of its first director for the newly established NWU Centre for Health and Human Performance (CHHP).

In the world we live in today, there are millions of people who rely on the help and support of others to maintain a healthier lifestyle because the necessary resources and knowledge are often lacking.

The eight faculties of the North-West University (NWU) and their postdoctoral fellows, who hail from all over the world, came together on 20 September at Crista Galli in Potchefstroom to discuss different ideas on how to improve the postdoctoral fellowship programme at the NWU.