‘Anyone can drown but no one should': SA urged to act on preventable tragedy
NSRI CEO Mike Vonk said days such as World Drowning Prevention Day us that 'while anyone can drown, no one should ... This is not only a statistic; it's a call to action.'
The NSRI said while South Africa's extensive coastline, rivers, lakes and dams make it particularly vulnerable to water-related fatalities, drowning remains a largely overlooked issue despite its deadly toll, especially among children in under-resourced communities
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), drowning is the third leading cause of death for children aged five to 14 years with more than 90% of deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. The WHO said most of the tragedies happen in rivers, lakes, wells and household water containers.
The UN general assembly officially recognised the crisis in 2021, declaring July 25 World Drowning Prevention Day. This year's theme, 'Your story can save a life', encourages people to share their personal experiences to raise awareness and influence behaviour.
In response to the ongoing crisis, the NSRI has shifted from primarily being an emergency response organisation to one that prioritises education and prevention.
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The Citizen
13 hours ago
- The Citizen
KZN launches anti-vaping drive as youth addiction sparks health alarm
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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
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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.'
TimesLIVE
3 days ago
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‘Drowning in fatigue': Why is anaemia robbing young women of their prime years?
An estimated 539-million women aged 15 to 49 around the world are living with anaemia, an often overlooked but deeply debilitating condition that is stripping young women of their energy, mental wellbeing and quality of life. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said anaemia is particularly prevalent among children under five, menstruating adolescent girls and pregnant and postpartum women with the African and south-east Asian regions bearing the highest burden. 'In 2019, 30% (539-million) of non-pregnant women and 37% (32-million) of pregnant women aged 15 to 49 years were affected by anaemia,' the WHO reported. 'In Africa alone, 106-million women and 103-million children suffer from the condition.' Despite its scale and severity, anaemia continues to fly under the radar and is dismissed by many as 'stress' or 'part of being a woman'. Anaemia awareness advocate and head of the Cape Town Infusion Centre sister Karin Davidson said too many young women are left feeling like they're 'drowning' physically and emotionally. 'We're seeing women in their 20s, 30s and 40s who feel like they're constantly running on empty. The overwhelming fatigue, anxiety and depression is being normalised when it's often a sign of iron deficiency and/or anaemia, which are completely preventable and treatable,' said Davidson. Davidson warned low iron levels aren't only about feeling tired and can profoundly affect mental health. 'There is a fundamental link between iron deficiency and mood disorders. Iron is a crucial component in the production of serotonin, your brain's 'happy chemical'. When iron levels drop, so does serotonin, which can severely impact sleep, mood and your overall sense of wellbeing,' she said. The WHO said common anaemia symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, cold extremities, headaches and light-headedness that are often brushed off as stress or burnout. Davidson said severe cases can escalate to pale skin and mucous membranes, rapid heart rate and easy bruising, and one of the most under-acknowledged contributors to anaemia in women is heavy menstrual bleeding. 'Population-based studies indicate up to 50% of women of reproductive age experience heavy menstrual bleeding. The blood loss is a major contributor to iron deficiency, specially since girls are menstruating earlier than previous generations,' she said. The WHO said consistent heavy blood loss from menstruation, pregnancy and postpartum complications such as haemorrhage are among the leading causes of anaemia globally. Davidson said many women aren't aware their periods are too heavy or that their low energy, depression and brain fog could be linked to it. The WHO reported iron deficiency, often caused by poor diet or poor absorption of nutrients, remains the most common cause of anaemia worldwide. 'Deficiencies in vitamin A, folate, B12 and riboflavin also contribute, as do infections, inflammation, chronic diseases and inherited blood disorders such as sickle cell and thalassemia. Infections such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV also impair nutrient absorption or cause nutrient loss,— further exacerbating anaemia in vulnerable populations.' is said. Davidson said modern dietary trends aren't helping 'More young women are devising their own diets, often omitting key nutrients in the process. They may not realise they're putting themselves at risk,' she said. She's also concerned about how easily women's health concerns are dismissed. 'We see so many women being told it's stress or anxiety but your symptoms matter. You deserve to feel energetic and well. A simple blood test can confirm iron deficiency,' she said. The WHO said anaemia is not a disease but a symptom of an underlying condition which is why it often goes undiagnosed and untreated. Davidson urged women to stop ignoring the signs and start advocating for themselves: 'Think iron. Check iron. Take iron. Your future self will thank you for taking action. If your doctor brushes off your concerns, seek a second opinion. You deserve better.'
