Health-e News

Health-e News Health-e News is a non-profit, online publication focused on pressing health issues in South Africa.

We centre community voices through our network of nationwide community journalists.

05/02/2026

[WATCH] At this old age home, even walking to the bathroom is risky.

Ekhanana Old Age Home in Durban’s Umlazi township has been without electricity since early January, after eThekwini Municipality disconnected the supply over a R2.7 million debt.

Elderly residents are falling at night while trying to get to toilets and corridors because of the poor lighting.

The crisis goes further: basic medication is limited, there’s no dedicated transport, staff say they wash linen by hand and only one nurse cares for around 68 residents.

Staff often buy medication out of their own pockets.

Find out more in the comments via Phumzile Mkhungo🔗

05/02/2026

[WATCH] Elderly residents are falling at night at an Umlazi old age home, while trying to reach toilets and corridors.

Ekhanana Old Age Home has been without electricity since 3 January. Staff say poor lighting, limited medication, and only one nurse for dozens of residents are putting elderly lives at risk. They also say they wash linen by hand.

Transport is another challenge: residents rely on Uber or private vehicles to reach hospitals 30 km away.

The municipality and government departments point to policy limits, leaving staff and residents in a daily struggle.

Find out more at the link in bio via .phumzile188🔗

: These are more than just stats. A cancer diagnosis strains families, deepens inequality and forces many to choose bet...
04/02/2026

: These are more than just stats.

A cancer diagnosis strains families, deepens inequality and forces many to choose between treatment and basic needs.

According to the World Health Organization African Region cancer is becoming one of the leading causes of premature death in Africa.

"Each year, more than 1 million new cases are diagnosed, and nearly 1 million people lose their lives to the disease.

There has been progress, from HPV vaccinations to cervical cancer screening and better childhood cancer care. But gaps remain. Too many are diagnosed late. Too many women are screened but never treated."


CANSA The Cancer Association of South Africa Section27

: These are more than just stats. A cancer diagnosis strains families, deepens inequality and forces many to choose bet...
04/02/2026

: These are more than just stats.

A cancer diagnosis strains families, deepens inequality and forces many to choose between treatment and basic needs. According to the WHO, cancer is becoming one of the leading causes of premature death in Africa.

“Each year, more than 1 million new cases are diagnosed, and nearly 1 million people lose their lives to the disease”.

There has been progress, from HPV vaccinations to cervical cancer screening and better childhood cancer care. But gaps remain. Too many are diagnosed late. Too many women are screened but never treated.”

04/02/2026

[WATCH] : It will cost at least R7 million to repair flood-damaged health facilities in Limpopo and that figure is still rising.

At Tswinga Clinic outside Thohoyandou, the perimeter fence collapsed, raising safety concerns for staff and patients. Nurses say clinics are often targeted and that the lack of security has left them feeling vulnerable.

Despite these fears, healthcare workers continue reporting for duty. “We are here to help patients,” one nurse told Health-e News. “But we also need to feel safe while doing our jobs.”

Health MEC Dieketseng Mashego confirmed that repairs at Tswinga Clinic have begun, while Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba said the estimated cost of repairing damaged health facilities currently stands at R7 million, a figure expected to increase as assessments continue and further rainfall is forecast.

Have the floods affected healthcare services in your area? How have you been impacted?

Find out more in the comments via Judas Mohale-Sekwela🔗

02/02/2026

[WATCH] : When floods end, the damage doesn’t always disappear with the water.

Residents of Mahlathi village outside Giyani say recent floods have left them without safe drinking water, forcing families to rely on water they fear may be contaminated.

Thandi Mathebula, who lives with her family of seven, says the water they collected from a tap at a nearby church tasted salty and looked dirty. After drinking it, she experienced flu-like symptoms that lasted a week.

“I felt like I would die without telling my family,” she told Health-e News.

Other residents describe water that smelled of grease, chemicals, or appeared red. With rainwater no longer available, some families say they have no choice but to use unsafe water for bathing, washing dishes, and laundry while buying borehole water they can barely afford.

Have you been affected by water issues in your area? How has it impacted you or your family? Share your experience.

Find out more in the comments via Israel Nkuna.🔗

02/02/2026

[Watch] : The floods may be over but now water issues arise.

Residents of Mahlathi village outside Giyani say recent floods have left them without safe drinking water, forcing families to use water they fear is contaminated.

Some describe water that tastes salty, smells of chemicals, or looks red. Others say they’ve fallen ill after drinking it. With rainwater gone, families are spending money they don’t have on borehole water just to cook and bathe.

Mahlathi residents are now calling for urgent intervention to restore access to clean water.

Have water problems affected you where you live? Tell us how it’s impacted your daily life.

Find out more at the link in bio via Israel Nkuna.🔗

: Weeks after floods tore through parts of Limpopo’s Vhembe District, life in Dopeni village still hasn’t returned to n...
31/01/2026

: Weeks after floods tore through parts of Limpopo’s Vhembe District, life in Dopeni village still hasn’t returned to normal.

When a vital bridge linking Dopeni to Siloam village collapsed during severe flooding in early January, the community was cut off from Siloam Hospital and Rumani Clinic their only access to healthcare.

With no clinic of their own, residents say the loss of the bridge left the sick, elderly and schoolchildren at risk.

Some people missed medical check-ups and medication. Learners missed school or risked crossing the river when water levels dropped. Parents say the fear hasn’t gone away.

With no immediate help in sight, residents began rebuilding the bridge themselves using basic tools, stones and old wooden poles, just to restore some access.

But the structure is temporary, and residents warn it could be washed away again if heavy rains return.

Have you or your community been affected by flood damage like this? How has it changed daily life where you live?

Find out more in the comments via Maandamahulu Muanalo Bele🔗

: Two weeks after devastating floods tore through Mbaula village in Limpopo, dozens of families are still waiting for p...
29/01/2026

: Two weeks after devastating floods tore through Mbaula village in Limpopo, dozens of families are still waiting for permanent help.

At least 36 homes were destroyed when the Ritavi River overflowed, forcing around 70 people to shelter in an overcrowded church hall. Mud, debris and stagnant water still cover streets, while families try to salvage what little remains.

“My TV, wardrobe, beds, everything is destroyed. The only thing I managed to save was my medication because I have to take pills for high blood pressure,” says Agnes Mathosi (71), whose home was half submerged.

“We don’t want to stay here anymore. The floods can happen again.”

Residents are pleading for relocation to safer areas, not rebuilding in the flood line.

Have you or your community been affected by flooding or displacement? Tell us how it’s impacted your life.

Find out more in the comments via Israel Nkuna 🔗

28/01/2026

[WATCH] Extreme heat is no longer just uncomfortable, it’s making children sick at school.

As Durban temperatures hit 30°C this week, one primary school had to move lessons outdoors because classrooms were “unbearably hot”.

At Assegai Primary School in Wentworth, children have experienced dizziness, nosebleeds and in December, a five-year-old fainted in class due to heat stress.

Researchers warn this is part of a growing but largely unrecognised health crisis. Children’s bodies struggle to regulate heat, putting them at higher risk especially in schools with poor ventilation and metal classrooms.

Newly launched University of KwaZulu-Natal Child Heat Impact–Climate Health Intervention project, is tracking the hidden health effects of extreme heat on children in KZN and beyond and calling for urgent action.

What are conditions like at your child’s school and how are you coping with the heat at work or at home?

Find out more in the comments via Phumzile Mkhungo🔗 S.D.C.E.A.

28/01/2026

[WATCH] As Durban temperatures climbed this week, one school moved lessons outside after classrooms became unbearable. 🥵

At Assegai Primary in Wentworth, learners have experienced nosebleeds, dizziness and a five-year-old fainted in class last year due to extreme heat. 😓

Researchers from Child Heat Impact–Climate Health Intervention project, say children are especially vulnerable to heat stress, and the problem is worse in schools with poor ventilation and metal sheeting.

A new project is now trying to make these hidden health impacts visible and push for urgent change.

What are conditions like at your child’s school? And how is the heat affecting your workplace or home?

Find out more at the link in bio via .phumzile188

27/01/2026

[WATCH] When help is far away, minutes can mean everything.

After surviving abuse and struggling for years to get help, Mapula Mailula from Ga-Maja village outside Polokwane turned her experience into a solution.

She has developed the Crime Emergency Application (CEA), a web-based platform designed to cut emergency response times, especially in rural communities.

With one tap, users can report crime, gender-based violence or medical emergencies. The system automatically shares real-time location coordinates with emergency services, removing the need for long explanations that often delay help.

Mailula says the idea was shaped by her own childhood experience of abuse and the frustration of not being able to explain her location clearly to police.

Today, the platform routes requests to police, hospitals, fire and rescue units and paramedics. ER24 is already integrated, with other partnerships still being finalised.

Find out more in the comments via Judas Sekwela.

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Health-e News is South Africa's only independent health news agency, supplying the country with news from cities and villages via a network of citizen journalists and experienced, award-winning TV and print journalists.