HPCSA appoints new CEO and Registrar

The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) has announced the appointment of Dr Buyiswa Mjamba-Matshoba as its new Registrar and Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1 May 2012. Read more >>

Govt recognises the importance of aquaculture

[Nthambeleni Gabara] Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister, Tina Joemat-Pettersson, says government recognises the importance of aquaculture and the role it will play in sustaining production of food fish. Read more >>

Gauteng hospitals to clear all debt by June

The Gauteng Department of Health has developed a plan to clear all of its debt by the end of June this year, the department said in a statement on Sunday, 18 March 2012. Read more >>

Researchers unravel genetic mechanism of fatty liver disease in obese children

[Karen N. Peart] Obese youths with particular genetic variants may be more prone to fatty liver disease, a leading cause of chronic liver disease in children and adolescents in industrialized countries, according to new findings by Yale School of Medicine researchers. Read more >>

Scientists develop first snap shot of tiny brain tumours

Cancer Research UK scientists have developed a technique they believe could be used to detect tiny secondary tumours in the brain, a process that is currently impossible, according to research published in PNAS, yesterday, 26 March 2012. Read more >>

Yale research offers new way to see inside solids

[Eric Gershon] Researchers at Yale University have developed a new way of seeing inside solid objects, including animal bones and tissues, potentially opening a vast array of dense materials to a new type of detailed internal inspection. Read more >>

Picky eating can put children's health at risk

While many children may go through phases of different picky eating behaviours, some do so to a worrying degree and parents may even seek a doctor or nutritionist's advice. Unfortunately, though, in instances where children seem to have a healthy appetite, it may not be apparent to parents that the range of foods their child is consuming is actually very small, therefore limiting his sustenance. Read more >>

Cell phone use in pregnancy may cause behavioral disorders in offspring

[Karen N. Peart] Exposure to radiation from cell phones during pregnancy affects the brain development of offspring, potentially leading to hyperactivity, Yale School of Medicine researchers have determined. Read more >>

10 districts announced for NHI pilot

[Gabi Khumalo] Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has named the 10 districts in the country identified for the much-awaited pilot of the National Health Insurance (NHI), which will be phased in from 1 April 2012. Read more >>

Motsoaledi spells out non-negotiables for NHI

[Gabi Khumalo] With 10 districts being identified for piloting the National Health Insurance (NHI), the Department of Health has set out its non-negotiables for a successful health system. Read more >>

Cigarette firms slowing anti-tobacco fight

SINGAPORE: Alleged "interference" by cigarette firms in public health policies is slowing down a UN-backed global campaign against tobacco use and its related health risks, a report said Tuesday, 20 March 2012. Read more >>

Guard against winter colds and flu

Days are getting colder and the nights longer - yes, winter is on its way. It's also cough-and-sniffle season for the unwary. "Don't get caught," says PharmaChoice spokesperson, pharmacist Liezl van Tonder. She offers essential flu facts to get you through the season without coming down with a cold or flu. Read more >>

Brazil temporarily suspends breast implant imports

BRASILIA, BRAZIL: Brazil said Wednesday, 21 March 2012, it has temporarily suspended the import of breast implants pending quality control tests in the wake of last December's health scare over defective French-made implants. Read more >>

Care to know this World TB Day

Do you know the number of South African's infected with Tuberculosis? Would you recognise the classic symptoms of TB - apart from a cough? Are you aware of the best way to prevent the spread of TB infection or how TB is diagnosed or treated? If you don't know, maybe you should "Care to Know". Read more >>

South Africans urged to test for TB

As the world marked Tuberculosis Day on Saturday, 24 March 2012, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe urged South Africans to regularly test for TB and HIV, saying government would continue to implement programmes to fight the diseases. Read more >>

No Pain, No Gain, for SANGONeT's David Barnard

The Southern African NGO Network (SANGONeT) turns 25 in 2012. To celebrate this achievement, SANGONeT's CEO, David Barnard, will run 750km across three deserts on three continents as part of the annual SANGONeT "No Pain No Gain" campaign. Read more >>