Cape Town’s sewage treatment isn’t coping: scientists are worried about what the city is telling the public: Urban water bodies – rivers, lakes and oceans – are in trouble globally. Large sewage volumes damage the open environment, and new chemicals and pharmaceutical compounds don’t break down on their own. When they are released into the …
Mpox: what to watch out for, treatment and what to worry about: The new strain of the mpox virus is spreading quickly along the eastern border of the Democratic Republic of Congo and is “the most dangerous yet”, says the World Health Organization. The current outbreak has been driven by sexual transmission but there is …
Scabies: UK facing unusually large outbreaks – and treatment shortages appear mostly to blame: Scabies causes a rash, which can be very itchy – particularly at night. Zay Nyi Nyi/ Shutterstock Scabies is an unpleasant skin infection that’s common all around the world. Outbreaks happen regularly – with an estimated 450 million cases occurring globally each …
We think we have found a cause of pregnancy sickness, and it may lead to a treatment: Pregnancy sickness is believed to affect 7 in 10 women. Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock Sickness in pregnancy, or hyperemesis gravidarum, is common and is thought to affect seven out of ten women at some time in their pregnancy. But, …
Water crisis in South Africa: damning report finds 46% contamination, 67% of treatment works near to breaking down: A new report by South Africa’s Department of Water and Sanitation paints a grim picture of the quality of the country’s drinking water, and its water infrastructure. The Blue Drop Audit Report is meant to ensure that …
Buvidal: is it really a ‘game changer’ in the treatment of problematic opioid use?: To overcome problematic opioid use, traditional forms of opioid substitution therapy, such as methadone and oral buprenorphine, have become valuable tools. Research shows that patients receiving substitution therapy are more likely to stay in treatment and stop using heroin than patients …
Narges Mohammadi: 2023 Nobel peace laureate on hunger strike after being denied medical treatment over hijab ban: Narges Mohammadi, the recipient of the 2023 Nobel peace prize for her long fight against the oppression of women in Iran, is reported to have started a hunger strike. Her family told CNN this week that she began …
Young people with sexual or gender diversity are at higher risk of stopping their HIV treatment because of stigma and harsh laws: Ending the AIDS pandemic – particularly in eastern and southern Africa – cannot be achieved unless more resources are channelled to meet the needs of key vulnerable populations. This is one of the …
People with obsessive-compulsive disorder have an imbalance of brain chemicals – our discovery could mean a treatment breakthrough: MRI brain scan. SpeedKingz/Shutterstock People often jokingly say they’ve “got a bit of OCD” (obsessive-compulsive disorder) if they are overly organised or tidy. But OCD is actually a severe and disabling disorder characterised by obsessions – recurrent …
Adenomyosis: from symptoms to treatment, two women’s health experts explain this little known condition: Leszek Glasner/Shutterstock BBC presenter Naga Munchetty recently revealed that she suffers from adenomyosis, a chronic condition that affects the uterus. She spoke of how her pain can leave her unable to move and how a recent flare-up was so intense her …
Pancreatic cancer: a personalised mRNA vaccine may boost effects of treatment: Immunotherapies, such as cancer vaccines, help train the immune system to fight off cancer. Pand P Studio/ Shutterstock Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest types of cancer. This is largely due to the fact that pancreatic cancer symptoms typically don’t arise until the …
Surrogacy shake up in UK would create uneven treatment for birth mothers: Proposed UK surrogacy law changes raise concerns over unequal treatment of birth mothers Phil Jones/Shutterstock Surrogacy, where a woman agrees to carry and give birth to a child for another person or couple to raise, is growing in popularity. There aren’t any comprehensive …
Much Ado About Nothing: National Youth Theatre gives Shakespeare the Love Island treatment: “What’s your type on paper?” is frequently asked by contestants on the popular reality dating show Love Island. “Rich, that’s certaine” responds Benedick, a contestant on “Nothing Island”, who appears to know exactly what he likes. “Wise, or I’ll none”, “virtuous”, “fair”, …
COVID drugs: the UK’s treatment and prevention options and how vulnerable people are being forgotten: In February 2022, the UK government abandoned its remaining pandemic restrictions in favour of “living with COVID”. This approach relies largely on vaccines protecting people from severe disease. However, not everyone benefits equally from vaccines. Former “shielders” – clinically vulnerable …
Breast cancer patients in South Africa may find it hard to stick to treatment: here’s what they told us: Adherence to treatment plans, particularly chemotherapy is complex. Yaw Niel/Shutterstock Worldwide, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer. It’s also the leading cause of cancer-related death among women. The incidence of breast cancer is expected …
Breast cancer patients in South Africa are battling to maintain treatment because of high transport costs: Transport is the most common reason a patient doesn't follow their treatment regimen. Hoberman Collection/Universal Images Group via Getty Images South Africa has a two-tiered health system. Public health services – which are largely provided free of charge – …
COVID deepened inequalities in HIV treatment: what we learnt in Nigeria: Suriyawut Suriya/Getty Images The 2022 World AIDS Day theme is Equalize. The reason for this focus is that HIV reflects economic and social inequity. People with low socio-economic status are worst affected by the epidemic. Also, the worst impacts of the HIV epidemic are …
COVID affected access to HIV treatment: the stories of migrant women in South Africa show how: COVID-19 lockdowns significantly reduced access to and the provision of antiretroviral treatment services. Gideon Mendel/Corbis via Getty Images South Africa has made massive strides in the fight against HIV. One of the country’s flagship interventions has been the prevention …