Live better daily: WHO's easy health hacks to outsmart non-communicable diseases
Image: KoolShooters /pexels
When we talk about health risks, most of us imagine sudden infections or accidents. But what if I told you that the real danger for most South Africans comes from the way we live every day?
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including heart disease, diabetes, cancers, chronic lung conditions and mental health disorders, are quietly behind more than 80% of all deaths in the WHO European Region, and the pattern is worryingly similar here in South Africa.
It sounds distant until you realise that these are not just numbers. They're the heart attacks in our families, the cancers in our neighbourhoods, the diabetes diagnoses changing daily life for our friends.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy diets and physical inactivity are the four main culprits driving these illnesses, and most of us can do something about them.
Smoking
Tobacco is deadly in every form. Globally, it kills over 8 million people every year. Here in South Africa, research published in the "South African Medical Journal" shows smoking remains a major driver of heart disease, cancers and respiratory conditions.
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Smoking remains a major driver of heart disease, cancers and respiratory conditions.
Image: Maksim Goncharenok /pexels
Even 'lighter' alternatives like hookah (water pipes) are far from harmless; every puff brings over 7,000 chemicals, hundreds of which are toxic or cancer-causing. And lifelong smokers lose at least 10 years of life on average, according to the CDC.
The healthiest choice is not to start or to stop as soon as possible.
Simply put: the more you drink, the higher the risk. For your health, less is always better; none is best.
Image: Pavel Danilyuk /pexels
Alcohol: less really is better
We often see alcohol as part of celebrations or weekend plans, but the reality is sobering. The WHO reports that alcohol causes more than 200 diseases and injuries, including liver disease, cancers and mental health conditions.
Globally, 2.6 million people die from alcohol use every year; nearly one in every 11 deaths in the European region is linked to alcohol.
South Africa is among the countries with the highest alcohol consumption per capita, and the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) has warned of rising alcohol-related harm.
Simply put: the more you drink, the higher the risk. For your health, less is always better; none is best.
Healthy eating isn't about strict rules. It's about variety and balance: whole grains, fruit, vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats, while cutting down on salt, added sugar and processed foods.
Image: Doğu Tuncer/pexels
Food as medicine: why diet matters every day
Unhealthy diets are now one of the biggest drivers of NCDs. Most people eat too much salt (WHO recommends max 5g per day), leading to high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes, which cause over 40% of all deaths in some regions.
Obesity is also rising fast: about 1 in 4 school-aged children in South Africa are overweight or obese, and more than a quarter of adults don't meet the recommended physical activity levels.
Healthy eating isn't about strict rules. It's about variety and balance: whole grains, fruit, vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats, while cutting down on salt, added sugar and processed foods.
For babies, exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months lays the foundation for lifelong health, as recommended by the WHO. For everyone else, aiming for a balanced, colourful plate is a simple but powerful step.
Move more: it matters at every age. It's not just about hitting the gym. Physical activity can be as simple as walking, dancing, gardening, or even doing housework.
It's not just about hitting the gym. Physical activity can be as simple as walking, dancing, gardening, or even doing housework.
Image: Yan Krukau /pexels
The WHO recommends: Adults (18–64): At least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week
Children (5–17): Average 60 minutes per day of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity
Older adults: Same as adults, with added balance and strength training to prevent falls
Pregnant women: At least 150 minutes of moderate activity weekly, unless advised otherwise
Regular movement can lower your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression and even some cancers, and it can boost your mood and quality of life, too.
In South Africa, where NCDs already strain our health system, the real tragedy is that many of these diseases are preventable. Change doesn't mean perfection; it means small, daily choices:
Skipping the smoke Saying 'no' to that extra drink.
Choosing fresh food over processed snacks.
Adding a daily walk to your routine.
By doing so, you're not just adding years to your life; you're adding life to your years. We often underestimate how much power we have over our own health.
But the science is clear: even small steps towards a smoke-free, alcohol-light, balanced and active lifestyle can dramatically reduce your risk of NCDs.
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Daily Maverick
2 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Pinpointing Pollution (Part 2): Living and dying in Thubelihle
In part 2 of Daily Maverick's mapping project on air pollution, we see and hear from community members in Thubelihle, Mpumalanga. The air in Thubelihle is tinted with a yellow ochre haze as fine, pale dust from power stations and mines that settles on skin, homes and in lungs alike. And yet still, children play in the street. In the first part of this investigation, Daily Maverick mapped the places where South Africans are most vulnerable to air pollution's deadly effects. Then we went to meet them. This is what they said. Sipho Maseko 'In my tenure, now as a councillor, I had two children die because they were affected by the ash. They were affected by the dust. Children died.' So said Sipho Maseko, the ward councillor in Thubelihle, in conversation with Daily Maverick. 'I had a granny and maybe a person in her early 40s, I think I had four cases that were caused by the dust from the mines.' Maseko has been in his position for only four years. 'Here in Kriel, there are two clinics. There are government clinics – one here in the township and one at town. Honestly, there should be more because there's also an extension of the township that is developing about 7,000 residential stands. So it obviously means that the number [population] is growing.' Asked how many people called Thubelihle home, he said more than 20,000. 'So it's more than 20,000 people that are basically all at one clinic.' He explained how the landscape affected employment and the environment. 'We're surrounded by mines. The longest distance is not more than five kilometres, so obviously there's blasting, mining activities around, air pollution like now recently, I think, if I'm not mistaken, on Friday, there was ash from Eskom, it was whitish, like from the towers. So the whole area, the whole Kriel, was white with the ash. It's not good.' Pollution he attributed to the local mines was an everyday occurrence, but he said the wayward fly ash from Eskom's power station fell on the town in this dramatic fashion less frequently. Asked about some of the main challenges in the community, he immediately identified air pollution. He said he had engaged with the mines surrounding the community, and they would not take accountability. 'And the mines [management] say 'we are surrounded by mines' so no one wants to take accountability and so they say, 'just because we are the closest, but now mos you can see from the north, from the east, from the south there's ash everywhere, so how can you tell it's us that must take accountability?' 'So no one takes accountability … it becomes difficult,' said Maseko, explaining that the community is surrounded by heavy industries as well as the Eskom power stations, making it hard for any one actor to take accountability for emissions and impact on the community. Asked about evidence linking pollution to the deaths he mentioned, Maseko said that he had seen the cause of death reports and death certificates that detailed severe respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. 'Doctor's report, post-mortem, from the hospital and once you go to the family, they tell you the cause of death is air pollution.' Maseko continued , 'The challenge that we are having, it was going to be better to know, yes, this ash is killing us, but [at least] we are benefiting. So that's the number one thing that is very much worrying. You know, you keep on having protests now and then because we are living here, but we are not benefiting, we are dying from this ash.' 'No one is working in the mines, no one is working at Eskom. It's a better cry if you hear from the families saying, 'I'm from the mine, maybe I'm producing that which has killed my child,' but it's none. They don't benefit.' Just a week before Daily Maverick spoke to community members, they were protesting against the levels of pollution and the alleged lack of action to address it. 'Now we hear there is a new mine opening. Fine, we need jobs, so we are happy, but you'll hear 70% [of people hired are] from outside, 30% from local. It doesn't make sense. People who are benefiting don't reside here.' Chief Tony 'Boy' Mahlangu Daily Maverick also spoke to community leader Chief Tony 'Boy' Mahlangu. 'I grew up in this area. Since I was born basically in this area, we've been staying close to these power stations. We grew up with this asthma thing, these things [Matla and Kriel Power Stations] are causing asthma. So if you go around to the doctors and check, most of the kids have got asthma.' 'That's why also us, we've got it [asthma]. The air is not clean. The air is not clean,' said Mahlangu, adding that 'you can even see the small particles. Even on the car there on the window,' he said, pointing to a car parked by the community centre. 'They call it a flying ash, so this thing is very dangerous. There are a lot of deaths around this area regarding this thing. ' 'A lot of people staying around, they're coughing a lot, they have asthma, all those things. And once we had a meeting with Eskom at Megawatt Park… especially Kriel, because they said they are not reaching it, pollution targets, whatever they call it.' 'The saddest part, the really saddest part about this is that you cannot be killed by something in your area and then most of the people are not benefiting from that thing,' said Mahlangu, adding that 'now we are here and I, as a chief, I can't say there's anything that we're benefiting from those two power stations. It's like a middle finger.' Richard Tshabala Richard Tshabalala is a community leader from Ward 25 and a founder of Liberated Community Structures (LCS), based in Thubelihle. He told Daily Maverick that 'the challenge that we are having here is air pollution. We've been complaining about this problem. We even wrote to the Department of Environment about this issue. 'There was a lady I was working with, she was a ward committee [member] and she suffered from asthma, she even passed on from this problem. We've been complaining, complaining [to] management of Eskom. We even escalated the matter to Megawatt [Park], but no one cares. No one cares. 'These days it's worse. If you can come in the morning here, it's worse. It looks like a mist if you don't know it, but if you come closer, it's air pollution. And it's affecting the children, small children, its affecting the whole community. So we are very worried about the health of our community.' Just like others before him, Tshabalala complained that he and other community members suffered from the negative impacts, but derived none of the benefits. This was a consistent theme throughout. 'And the problem is the other problem that we are having, we're not benefiting anything. The job opportunities, business opportunities, even the skill development. We're not benefiting. They don't care. They only employ people from outside. We've been complaining about this several times.' 'So we are worried about the future of our children, because these children are going to suffer from asthma. Even you can check here, we only have the one clinic,' he said, pointing to the sole clinic in the area. He said that it used to operate for only half the day, but because of their efforts, it now operates for 24 hours a day. 'But it's not good enough, because we need a hospital. We need a hospital, and no one cares.' 'Even you can check the development. This place is not developed, but if we can check, we are surrounded by mines, we are surrounded by power stations, but no one is benefiting. That's the situation or the conditions that we are living under,' Tshabalala said. Maggie Mahlangu Former ward councillor and doting grandmother Maggie Mahlangu graciously invited Daily Maverick into her living room. Her 18-month-old granddaughter, Nokubonga Mashele, sat on her lap, constantly coughing during the interview as if to underscore the points being made by her grandmother. 'If you can see, this one [pointing to her granddaughter] is one year six months, and since she was born, always in the hospital, two weeks in the hospital, and she came back after three months in the hospital again, four times in the hospital. Her chest is too tight and she's coughing a lot.' As she speaks, Nokubonga coughs with tragic regularity, her little body shuddering with every cough. 'Most of the children are coughing, and the pollution is not good. If you park a car, in the morning, the ash is on top of the cars: too much,' said Mahlangu. 'Either they have got sinuses or asthma, it's because of pollution,' she said while her granddaughter coughed repeatedly atop her lap. 'No one came here and asked, 'your children is sick or what?' but we face those challenges each and every time.' Mahlangu said that during her time as a councillor, many people would come to her and complain about the air quality. 'We talk a lot about the pollution. Every time we talk about the air pollution, the community is angry. This pollution is destroying everything here and no one is working. It's a problem, it's a big, big problem.' 'The other lady who was in my ward committee died because of asthma in November 2021. That one was bad. Yoh yoh, that one was very bad because she used an oxygen mask. If she walks a short distance, breathing becomes a problem. We have lots of stories like that.' 'Even if you go to the clinic, there's a lot of children there. They're affected badly,' said Mahlangu. Asked what should be done, she said, 'I don't know. Eskom is busy. They must come to the community. The problem is they didn't even come to the community and tell the community what are the causes of the sickness, asthma, sinuses and all those things. They just keep quiet like nothing happened, but if they can come and have a way to control the ash, it will be better. Just to come communicate with the community is better.' Told about Eskom's presentation to Parliament and the cost of meeting minimum emission standards, Mahlangu's demeanour changed. 'If they cost billions, what about us?' she asked angrily. 'It's not going to happen. It's just talk because they see ministers and what what. It's not going to happen.' 'They must control that power station and the affected people, they must come to the affected people so that those people they must know, the communication is better than [if] you just keep quiet. If you come to the people and communicate with them, they will know what they must do, but if you keep quiet, you are saying all the people must die.' 'And it's painful to have a child like this one having a cough like this. This coughing is too bad.' Xolane Mtsweni showed Daily Maverick the nebuliser that six-year-old Mpendulwenhle Mtsweni has to use. He struggles to get the medicine he needs, and if there is an emergency, help is hours away at best. He says that Mpendulwenhle is dependent on the only clinic in the area, and in an emergency, they have to hope the neighbour's car is available because an ambulance can take up to two hours to fetch them. 'Each and every month we are going to hospital and it's all because of breathing and stuff,' said Sister Mtsweni, Mpendulwenhle's mother. He has had to make use of the nebuliser since the age of two. Asked what should be done or how her situation could be improved, she said, 'They must help me with this, especially. There's a medication for this machine to work, and this medication is very expensive; they can buy me that medicine,' said Mtsweni. The Thwalas Outside their home, Patricia and Mduduzi Thwala spoke to Daily Maverick along with their two sons, Nqubeko and Isenathi. 'Isenathi has a problem with short breath and sinus. Nqubeko is coughing day and night. The problem is caused by the dust from the mines and the power stations,' the parents said, finishing each other's sentences. 'People are very sick, so we need help because even Eskom doesn't care about us. They don't even come and check what we are going through in this community. So we need help.' Mduduzi said, 'When you're starting to identify these problems, when a child is starting to cough, you think it's a small thing and then we realised when we started to see, 'no this boy has a short breath'. 'I think if we can get a right platform where these issues can be addressed or reported, I think in that case maybe they can try to minimise or avoid such things; for example, when you look, there's a mine next to the road. I've never even seen one [manager] coming and saying, 'How do you feel about the dust?' We're experiencing dust and even houses are cracking from blasting. 'So there's no one from their management side who addressed people about such things. More especially, this issue of pollution, I think it's an [especially] bad thing in this location, in this community, is very bad.' Patricia said that they might be unwell themselves, but they don't have the money to go to a doctor, so they ignore their symptoms. Simphiwe Maseko Simphiwe Maseko's 14-year-old daughter, Thando Nkosi, is not allowed to take part in sport. 'She doesn't play anything. She doesn't run. Once she starts running, she coughs. She doesn't participate in anything because we are scared; maybe if she can participate in sports, athletics and whatnot, she just comes back sick. So that's why we forbid her to take part.' 'She gets sick all the time. We go to the doctor more than two times a month, and it's difficult to get to the doctor from here. We do have a car, but sometimes my brother is using it, so I have to take the taxi. Sometimes I don't have money to go to town, so it becomes very difficult,' Maseko tells Daily Maverick. 'It's because of the mines, because a lot of people around here, they've either got asthma, they've got sinus problems, eye problems, allergies because of this air, because of these mines, and all the pollution is very bad.' Asked what she would tell government leaders, leaders at Eskom and mine operators, she said simply, 'Can they please make sure that they recognise the people? 'A president is a president because of people, not because he wants to be there. We elected that person to be there. So the president must just take accountability, notice everything that the community or the people or the country are complaining about. We are complaining about the health [problems] that we are facing. We are complaining about a lot of things, especially the mines. Our lives are ruined.' Daily Maverick has previously reported that in October 2024, the national air quality officer at the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Patience Gwaze, said efforts were under way to enhance actions and improve the quality of air in the country through declared priority areas, metropolitan areas and air quality hotspots. However, despite interventions undertaken since 2006, not much improvement has been achieved in the areas of concern. Gwaze said air pollution continued to be a leading national environmental human health risk. Daily Maverick reached out to Gwaze and the department for comment. Our request was acknowledged but a response thereafter was not received. Seriti Resources, one of the owners of a local mine, said in response to questions from Daily Maverick, 'We recognise the potential impacts that our operations can have on surrounding communities, and we are committed to minimising any negative effects while actively contributing towards a positive and sustainable future for all. 'We have invested significantly in a range of environmental management initiatives to reduce our footprint. These include advanced dust suppression technologies to limit airborne pollutants, comprehensive water management systems to ensure efficient and responsible use of water resources and continuous air quality monitoring to comply with strict environmental standards. We also ensure compliance to relevant legislation and environmental regulations.' 'We appreciate the concerns raised and remain open to constructive dialogue that helps us improve and better serve our communities.' The story of Thubelihle is illuminating in that it tells the story of how a confluence of failures, pollution, non-responsiveness by authorities and generalised, ailing service delivery finds confluence in the coughs of a child and the death of a young woman. Though Thubelihle may be one place on a map, there are many such communities across South Africa where the constitutional right to a healthy environment is trampled on and disregarded day in, day out. And while politicians and ministers in Cabinet talk about the injustice of job losses in the coal value chain, they are conveniently deaf to the plight and pleas of the people in these communities who assert – in between harsh coughs and wheezes – that they don't feel that they benefit today and that there is no justice for them. DM
The Citizen
11 hours ago
- The Citizen
KZN launches anti-vaping drive as youth addiction sparks health alarm
KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane has sounded the alarm over the increasing use of vaping products among young people, announcing the launch of a province-wide anti-vaping campaign as part of the Department of Health's 2025/26 budget plan. The Witness reports that, delivering her budget speech at the provincial legislature in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday, Simelane said the campaign seeks to counter widespread myths that vaping is a safer alternative to smoking, especially among schoolchildren. 'We are deeply concerned about the alarming rise in vaping among youth. 'Many are misled into believing that vaping is harmless, when in fact it poses serious and real health risks,' said Simelane. 'This growing trend represents a silent epidemic that threatens the well-being of our youth. 'The problem is worsened by aggressive marketing that falsely portrays vaping as a safer alternative to smoking,' she added. She warned of the health risks associated with vaping, including addiction, lung damage and elevated heart rate — effects often downplayed in marketing that falsely promotes vaping as safe. The campaign will be rolled out through school outreach programmes and community dialogues, aiming to debunk misinformation and equip young people with science-based facts. With her speech, the KZN Department of Health (DoH) has joined other health organisations like the Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) in raising the alarm over youth vaping. In May, Cansa criticised the tobacco industry for 'deliberately marketing vaping products to teenagers and younger children'. This year, the organisation marked World No Tobacco Day, which falls on May 31, under the theme 'Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing the Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products' in a bid to highlight how the industry promotes these products to younger audiences by emphasising compact designs and appealing flavours. Cansa's tobacco control programme co-ordinator and social worker, Minenhle Dlamini, refuted claims that vaping is a harmless alternative to smoking, citing mounting evidence of serious health risks. These risks include nicotine addiction, lung damage and the increased likelihood of moving onto traditional tobacco products. 'A new generation of nicotine-dependent individuals is being created with seemingly innocent flavoured vapes and sleek, tech-inspired designs targeting young consumers,' Dlamini said. WHO has warned that vaping is often a gateway to smoking, with e-cigarette use increasing the uptake of conventional cigarettes, particularly among youth, by nearly three times. While stressing that it is too early to fully understand the long-term impact of vaping, WHO said there is compelling evidence that vapes are harmful to health. In some cases, it argued, they pose a greater threat than traditional cigarettes. 'While long-term health effects are not fully known, we do know that they generate toxic substances, some of which are known to cause cancer and some that increase the risk of heart and lung disorders. 'Electronic delivery systems have also been linked to a number of physical injuries, including burns from explosions or malfunctions when the products are substandard or tampered with by users,' it said, adding that accidental exposure of children to vape fluid poses serious risks, as devices may leak or children may swallow the poisonous liquid. Simelane said the health education drive forms part of a wider call for residents to take personal ownership of their health, the overarching theme of her R56.2b budget presentation. Another notable initiative is the introduction of a chaplaincy programme — a first for the province — which will see chaplains deployed to public healthcare facilities to provide emotional and spiritual support to both patients and healthcare workers. 'These chaplains will ease the trauma and stress endured daily in our health facilities by offering comfort and a listening ear,' Simelane said. She acknowledged that while the department has plans to expand healthcare access and strengthen services, these ambitions are heavily constrained by limited funds. She said the department will procure 200 vehicles, including mobile clinics and ambulances, to improve emergency response. A panel of licensed private emergency medical services providers will also be appointed to assist with patient transfers and ease pressure on the state's ageing fleet. The MEC said posts for unemployed medical professionals, such as post-community service doctors, will be advertised soon following commitments from national ministers that funding is available. To address healthcare shortages in rural communities, new clinics are under construction in Nyavini (Ugu), Mpolweni (uMgungundlovu) and Mpaphala (King Cetshwayo). Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on
IOL News
2 days ago
- IOL News
The world is watching as Israel continues starving Palestinians to death
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) issued a Phase 5 alert Image: WHO As Gaza slips deeper into famine amid relentless conflict, mass displacement, and blocked humanitarian aid, horror stories are emerging from mothers desperately seeking food and water for their children. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said at least 30 children have died of hunger since July 17 and about 60 000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, 2023. More than half a million people are already estimated to be in what is known as a stage 5 catastrophe yet, the genocidal policy of mass starvation and killing people desperately seeking food in Gaza continues unabated. 'Starvation, malnutrition and disease are driving a rise in hunger-related deaths,' the IPC said, calling for an end to hostilities between Israel and Palestine. Youmna El Sayed, a mother of four and Al Jazeera English correspondent, left Gaza in January 2024, but she doesn't feel relief. She carries with her the weight of those left behind. Now based just a few kilometres away, El Sayed said every day is a battle to reconcile the horror she's witnessed with the expectation to 'be normal'. 'It was and still is very complicated to live like a normal human being when you have your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours still living a daily genocide that you know how horrible it is, while you're now in a place couple of kilometres away yet every other person lives a normal life and expects you to be normal like them. But they have no idea that this itself is a a complex trauma that we carry and live within every day.' El Sayed lived in Gaza for a decade, having moved there permanently in 2014. Among the worst memories that haunt her as a mother, she recalled the day she couldn't find drinking water for her children. 'One of the worst days for me as a mother was when I couldn't find drinking water for my children for an entire night and day. As a mother it's heart aching. For El Sayed, the desperation of survival became heartbreakingly real. 'We had to share a bottle of 500ml of water the six of us. I watched them go thirsty and I gave them sips of water as I and my husband remained without because we had no choice.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Hundreds of protesters banged pots and pans outside the Cape Town Holocaust & Genocide Centre, calling for an end to the genocide and starvation of the Palestinian people. Image: Armand Hough Her youngest child, Juju, found comfort in imagination. 'My youngest Juju, folded half the bread into half and told me I'll imagine this to be a manouche – thyme and olive oil sandwich. Her only wish at the time were for such a simple sandwich that she hadn't eaten for months.' This week, the IPC issued a Food Insecurity and Malnutrition Alert describing the crisis as 'a disaster unfolding in front of our eyes.' The IPC of which the World Health Organization (WHO) is a member, issued one of its gravest alerts yet, saying "famine thresholds have been reached for food consumption in most of the Gaza Strip and for acute malnutrition in Gaza City.' Gaza's humanitarian catastrophe has worsened rapidly in recent weeks. According to the IPC, malnutrition has surged in July, with over 20 000 children treated for acute malnutrition between April and mid-July, including more than 3000 severely malnourished. Ross Smith, Director of Emergencies at the UN World Food Programme (WFP), underscored the scale of the crisis. 'It's clearly a disaster unfolding in front of our eyes, in front of our television screens. This is not a warning, this is a call to action. This is unlike anything we have seen in this century." South African movement Mothers4Gaza says it remains in contact with women on the ground in Gaza through solidarity networks. Ayesha Bagus, speaking on behalf of the group, said the stories from inside are harrowing. 'Their messages are devastating,' she said. 'They speak of watching their children visibly waste away from hunger, of boiling weeds and animal feed just to keep them alive for another day, of scraping together contaminated water to survive.' Bagus said medical care is 'virtually non-existent' due to sustained Israeli attacks on the healthcare system. 'Hospitals have been bombed. Medicines are denied. Pregnant women are giving birth without anaesthetic. Children die from diarrhoea and dehydration. Babies are having their limbs amputated without painkillers.' 'This is not a humanitarian failure; it is Israeli strategy, which their leaders have vocalised publicly. It is a siege, weaponised against some two million civilians.' Cape Town Protesters Rally Outside Holocaust Centre for Palestine. Image: Armand Hough 'The UN's Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has confirmed that famine conditions are already in motion. Over 500,000 Palestinians are in IPC Phase 5: starvation. Acute malnutrition has quadrupled in Gaza City and crossed the famine threshold. Babies are dying. Families - babies, children, parents, grandparents, go entire days without food.' She added: 'Israel's targeted attacks on bakeries, farmlands, fishing boats, and water systems are not accidents. They are systematic and deliberate. Starvation is not collateral damage. It is Israeli policy.'
