© Copyright Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | PAIA Manual
Painkillers can be a big headache
Migraine sufferers may not realise that drug overuse can be a large part of the problem.
#SliceofLife: I never knew my dad — because my mom didn’t want me to
Abigail Olivier’s* mother was angry at the father of her child. So she made sure that he couldn’t have a relationship with his daughter. As an adult, Olivier realised it could be a case of what some experts call parental alienation.
Dying for a souvlaki: How climate change fuels inequality
This July, Greek islands were far from idyllic. In fact, people working in the tourism industry there say it was hell. With raging wildfires and surging temperatures, the effects of climate change are hitting home.
Need an abortion? Find clinics you can trust here
This database shows you where you can find safe family planning services near you. It’s verified two to four times a year by a dedicated team of data capturers and ‘secret shopper’ callers.
Nine factors that make a man more likely to rape or beat a woman
Men who abuse women have often been victims of maltreatment themselves resulting to the intergenerational cycling of abuse.
Dirty Sprite: The DIY high that keeps SA schoolchildren numb
Codeine is found in mild painkillers and cough syrups, and is sometimes mixed with Sprite or alcohol to make a drink called “lean”.
The walking dead: Why it’s dangerous to walk, talk and text
Walking on the road in Accra can be dangerous, say researchers. Using a cellphone while doing so can up the chance for an accident even more. Here’s what a study found should be done to keep pedestrians safe.
Sex life leaving a bad taste in your mouth?
Poor oral hygiene doesn't just affect your gums; it can also lead to impotence.
When parents behave badly
Parents embroiled in custody disputes can turn on each other — and use their children as pawns in their battle. But claims of parental alienation are controversial and difficult to prove. In the end both children and parents lose.
#SliceofLife: I uncovered a child sex trafficking ring in my grade one class
When a primary school teacher in the Western Cape suspected that one of her pupils was being sexually abused, she did everything she could to help. Here’s what happened next.
Showdown: SA takes on the US for cheaper drugs
When the US went to bat for Big Pharma in the fight against this killer disease, South Africa wasn’t having any of it. Here’s what happened next.
‘Call me Tumi’: Meet the young woman who heads SA’s medicines regulator
Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela leads the country’s medicines regulator, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra), a public entity few people knew about until the COVID-19 pandemic hit. COVID triggered a noisy scramble for vaccines, tests and treatments that needed to be approved — often embroiled in politics.
#SliceOfLife: I took on Big Pharma and won
Around the time Phumeza Tisile was receiving treatment for extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB), the cure rate for patients with that form of the disease was 15%. Tisile beat XDR-TB despite the odds, but not without a cost: she lost her hearing.
When there was no list of free abortion clinics, we made our own. Here’s...
How we found the country's 'missing' abortion providers – and mapped contraception services too.Bhekisisa has created #SizaMap, South Africa's first searchable map of free abortion providers....
Growing up with a mother who has schizophrenia is tough on a child
When a parent is diagnosed with a mental illness, the chances of emotional support are decreased and the risk of family discord is high.
How these pupils from SA’s poorest schools became doctors
The Umthombo Youth Development Foundation provides bursaries and mentorship to health science students from poor, rural backgrounds. Despite humble beginnings, these students are achieving exceptionally high pass rates. Here’s why.