Tomatoes can lower stroke risk: study

WASHINGTON, USA: Eating tomatoes can dramatically reduce the risk of having a stroke, according to a new study out on Monday that provided more support for diets rich in fruits and vegetables. Read more >>

Tighten security, limit risk in hospitals fast, inexpensively

[Johan Roux] Public sector hospitals in South Africa are overburdened to say the least. Challenges include budget constraints and ad-hoc purchase decisions that result in disparate technology investments. This is most apparent with security in hospitals and clinics but fortunately there is a solution at hand - intelligent, automated and integrated security systems that facilitate more stringent controls. Read more >>

Children at risk of eating disorders have higher IQ and better working memory

Children at risk for eating disorders on average have a higher IQ and better working memory but have poorer attentional control, according to researchers at the UCL Institute of Child Health (ICH). The study, published in the journal Psychological Medicine, looked at what characteristics might make some children more likely to develop an eating disorder later in life. Read more >>

Biomedical engineers develop nanoparticles to fight persistent viral infections

Many STDs spread by bacteria, like syphilis and chlamydia, can be controlled and cured with antibiotics. By comparison, cheap and effective treatments for viral STDs have largely remained elusive. Researchers in Mark Saltzman's lab are working to change that, developing nanoparticles to prevent infection by a widespread viral STD: herpes simplex virus type 2. Read more >>

Film launch marks World Mental Health Day

Wednesday, 10 October 2012, was World Mental Health Day and to pay tribute to the many who struggle with mental health, a South African film, Let's Talk, premiered on YouTube. Read more >>

Let there be sight: Burst of neural activity necessary for vision

A sudden and mysterious burst of activity originating in the retina of a developing fetus spurs brain connections that are essential to development of finely-tuned sight, Yale researchers report in the journal Nature. Interference with this spontaneous wave of activity could play a role in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, the scientists speculate. Read more >>

Heavy smoking, alcohol may set stage for early cancer

If you smoke and drink heavily, you may develop pancreatic cancer at an earlier age than those who don't smoke or drink to excess, say scientists. Read more >>

Natural death, doctor-assisted dying or euthanasia?

[Marika Sboros] Death has been on my mind more than usual lately. Not that I have a morbid fascination with it. It's just that as a wannabe Buddhist, I know the Grim Reaper is more friend than foe. Read more >>

Synthetic liver enzyme could result in more effective drugs with fewer side effects

Medicines could be made to have fewer side effects and work in smaller doses with the help of a new technique that makes drug molecules more resistant to breakdown by the human liver. Read more >>

Online booking system benefits patients, doctors in Gauteng

Booking a doctor's appointment has just become easier and queuing at the pharmacy a thing of the past. In a first for South Africa, patients are now able to book appointments with their GP via the internet - with dentists and other health providers to follow shortly. An online booking system has been introduced which allows the patient, or the patient's mother or caregiver, to access real-time schedules and book doctors' appointments at any time. Read more >>

De-registered doctor working at SA hospital

[Mphumzi Zuzile] A doctor jailed for medical malpractice in the United Kingdom for putting patients at risk of contracting Hepatitis B is now working at an Eastern Cape hospital. Read more >>

Ghanaian invents mobile X-ray van

[Masahudu Kunateh] A Ghanaian radiologist, Dr Victor Dedzoe, with the help of local artisans, has invented a mobile X-ray van to boost healthcare delivery and diagnostics in the rural communities where health facilities are not available. Read more >>

Global beer, wine, and spirits CEOs back new initiatives to reduce harmful use of alcohol

WASHINGTON, US: Building on their longstanding commitment to public health, the world's leading producers of beer, wine and spirits have agreed to a new series of actions in five key areas that are designed to strengthen and expand existing efforts to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. Read more >>

Better health for learners

President Jacob Zuma will today launch the Integrated School Health Programme (ISHP) in Tshwane, which will ensure that learners have access to primary health care services. Read more >>