Stefani Du Toit is fighting HIV/Aids stigma
'My work strongly stems from trying to make a positive impact [on] those in a more vulnerable situation,' she told News24.
Du Toit is a researcher at the Institute for Life Course Health Research and holds a PhD from Stellenbosch University. Her primary research focuses on substance use and chronic conditions, with a specific focus on HIV and treatment adherence.
The 33-year-old's work specialises in adolescent mental health with research spanning seven African countries.
She has contributed to developing World Health Organisation guidelines on mental health promotion and preventive interventions for adolescents. Most recently, she received funding from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences' Early Career Research Fund for work on refugee populations.
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18 hours ago
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Parents urged to get kids vaccinated after Liverpool death
Parents in Wiltshire are being urged to ensure their children's vaccinations are up to date after a child in Liverpool died from measles. Measles is highly contagious and the effects can be fatal, medics warn. Measles, Mumps, and Rubella vaccinations are offered to children in two stages. The first dose, MMR1, is typically given around 12 months of age, while the second dose, MMR2, is usually administered around three years of age. Both doses are necessary for optimal protection against these three viral diseases. The World Health Organisation says at least 95 per cent of children in a community should be vaccinated to ensure herd immunity because measles is so contagious. In Wiltshire, vaccination rates are well above the South West and UK averages, but still dip below the 95 per cent target for the MMR2 jab. In the year 2023-24, 96.3 per cent of children in the county had received their MMR1 jab by the age of five, while 92 per cent had received the MMR2 vaccination. In Wiltshire, vaccination rates climbed to an all-time high in 2020-21 and 2021-22 before declining slightly. MMR 1 vaccination rates increased marginally between 2022-23 and 2023-24 but MMR 2 vaccination rates declined slightly. In the South West, there were 112 laboratory confirmed measles cases in 2024, with 40 of those cases being reported in children aged five and under. In 2025 so far, there have been 58 laboratory confirmed measles cases, with children under five accounting for 29 cases. Fewer than 10 cases were reported in Wiltshire, so the county does not feature individually in health statistics. The UK Health Security Agency is responsible for monitoring the disease, promoting vaccination, and responding to outbreaks. In a statement, the UKHSA South West said: 'Measles is highly contagious and can cause serious complications. 'It is preventable with the MMR vaccine, so parents should make sure their children are up to date and catch up on any missed doses.' Symptoms to look out for include cold-like symptoms, followed by a rash a few days later. Some people may also get small spots in their mouth. This progresses with a distinctive rash that starts on the face or behind the ears and then spreads to the rest of the body. Measles can leave people seriously ill and even be fatal. While the incident in Liverpool is only the second reported death of a child from measles in the past five years, health authorities are concerned about the UK's low vaccination rate. In Liverpool, only 73 per cent of children aged five have received the necessary two shots, while in parts of London – where over 1,300 cases of measles were reported last year – vaccine uptake is below 65 per cent.
News24
a day ago
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6 rules to maintain safe sex this winter
Safe sex education is often assumed to be reserved for teens and young adults. Young women already know everything they need to know about their bodies, sexual health and reproduction, right? The reality, however, is very different. 'You'd be surprised at how little knowledge women have about their sexual health,' says Pamela Makhetha, a health practitioner who works at a sexual health clinic in Johannesburg. 'I deal with women, daily, who don't fully understand that they have the right to make decisions that affect their sexual health. It is probably one of the last social taboos; nobody is talking about it but everybody who is sexually active is affected by it,' she says. Let's all agree on one thing: the person who is responsible for your sexual health, is you. READ MORE | From fake orgasms to anal - women and men share their sex dealbreakers Couples counsellor Sizakele Zondi says, 'Women often give up power when it comes to their sexuality and health. I want every woman to understand that you cannot trust anyone with your sexual health, even if he's your husband and a man of God. So you must always think of yourself and your well-being first, and make decisions based on that.' The rules To help you make the best decisions for your sexual health, we compiled basic safe sex rules to observe: 1. Insist on mandatory testing Mandatory means that it's not negotiable, even when you've been dating for a while, and he doesn't want to use condoms anymore. It's not enough for your partner, however lovely he or she is, to assure you their sexual health is in order. Get tested together, so your relationship is transparent and you both get information from a professional. Make sure the tests include screening for STIs. 'The operative word is 'before' you engage in unprotected sex. 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It is stressful and completely unnecessary, and you have the power to avoid that,' she adds. Keep in mind that the pull-out method is not a smart plan for staying on the right side of your goals; it's a roll of the dice and if it really worked, at least a third of the population wouldn't exist. 3. Own your reproductive health If you are having sex, a visit to a gynaecologist needs to be a priority. 'Sexual health isn't just about the actual act of sex, it's also about making sure you are in good health,' Makhetha says. Annual gynae visits can help detect cancer, inflammation and infection of your reproductive organs — some conditions and complications are not easy to detect. 'Your doctor will do a pap smear but also help you with any other complications or conditions you might have,' Makhetha adds. If anything feels 'off' down there, get an expert to check it out – the sooner, the better. 4. Don't add any extras It's not uncommon for women to swap sexual tips on pleasing their partners. That's not a bad thing, in itself, but sometimes some of the advice is just plain dodgy. 'Do not put things into your vagina in an effort to better please your partner,' Makhetha advises. 'Women put things like snuff, tree bark, herbs and other weird objects into their vaginas, all in an effort to be 'mnandi'. Your vagina already has everything it needs to make sex pleasurable. No amount of eating cinnamon and yoghurt is going to change how you feel to your partner. So stop trying so hard. 'If he complains, there is a big chance that he's the problem, and you need to move on to a partner who'll appreciate you,' she says. 5. Be mentally and emotionally ready As much as sex is seen as a physical act, there are many other aspects at play in our sexual relationships. 'When you have sex that you are not ready for, you make a decision against yourself, because you're trying to please someone else. I strongly advise against it. 'Your feelings around your sexual relationships are important and, again, the onus is on you to make sure you are taken care of. That can lead to uncomfortable conversations, but that's better than compromising yourself. Sex is meant to be pleasurable. And that state includes your mind, body and soul, so always ensure that you don't take that part of your health for granted,' Zondi says. 6. Screen your lovers No one has the right to tell you how to pick your lovers. The responsibility is yours alone and it is one you have to take seriously. 'The person you choose to have sexual interactions with has to be picked with a lot of consideration. These are people you are vulnerable with and should your contraception fail, that's someone who might be in your life for good,' Zondi says. She concludes: 'Lovers can also wreak havoc with your self-esteem, so make sure you choose partners that affirm who you are, and not those who cause harm. I often tell my clients that being fussy is good when it comes to this. 'If you are choosing decent partners, sex will be healthy for your mental health but when you choose the wrong ones, the damage to your mental and emotional state can be very harmful.'
CNN
a day ago
- CNN
‘As a result of that naivety, I almost died': South African golfer's tumultuous journey to The Open
Blustering weather and a punishing coastal links course have combined to serve up the ultimate test for the game's best golfers at this week's Open Championship. And while world No. 68 Christiaan Bezuidenhout may not boast a ranking to rival Scottie Scheffler or Rory McIlroy, he is as well equipped as any in the field to stay the course. A strong start has put the South African in the mix heading into the weekend of the 153rd edition of the major at Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland, a far cry from the beginning of the 31-year-old's own life. At the age of two, while playing with friends in the street, Bezuidenhout drank from a bottle of Coke that had been emptied and replaced with rat poison. 'As a result of that naivety, I almost died,' he wrote in a blog for the European Tour in 2019. 'The hospital had to pump my whole stomach to get rid of all the poison, but the poison affected the whole nervous system in my body.' One long-term consequence was the development of a stutter, which in turn led to childhood battles with anxiety and depression as Bezuidenhout – growing up in the small farming town of Delmas, 58 miles east of Johannesburg – withdrew from 'anything and everyone.' 'I was basically just living in my own world because I was always scared of having to engage in conversation,' he said. 'Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to get rid of a stammer – you just have to learn to adapt and work with the stammer to control it the best you can.' His blossoming golf talent saw junior trophies accumulate, but that too brought its challenges. Seeking to combat the 'dread' of public speaking necessitated by winning a tournament, a 14-year-old Bezuidenhout was prescribed beta-blockers to tackle anxiety. He used the medication throughout his amateur career across the next seven years, but while competing in the Amateur Championship at Royal Portrush in 2014, Bezuidenhout was told he had failed a drugs test and had been suspended for two years as a result. The 20-year-old had declared to tournament organizers in advance that he was taking beta-blockers for his stutter. While the sanction was later reduced to nine months after an appeal, Bezuidenhout was left 'inconsolable.' 'The worst part of it all were all the stories that came out from people in the golf industry and supposed close friends back home,' he wrote. 'I was accused of using it to better my performances, which really hurt me and my family. A lot of nasty things were said and I was known as the guy banned from golf for a drug-related incident. 'I was aware of how labels like that are hard to shake off and I reached a very low point in my life.' Yet since coming back and turning professional in 2015, Bezuidenhout's trajectory has been overwhelmingly upwards, culminating in a superb opening round four-under 67 that earned him an early share of the lead. 'I've been putting a lot of work in on my swing,' he told reporters on his return to the clubhouse Thursday. 'I've been going through some swing changes and stuff – it's nice to see that paying off.' He arrived on the Causeway Coast a three-time European Tour winner, his place in the field for a 20th career major start comfortably secured by his participation in the PGA Tour's season-ending Tour Championship. Though still chasing a first win on the sport's top circuit, he has, bizarrely, cashed a winner's check, which he received for his runner-up finish at the American Express last year as victor Nick Dunlap was unable to claim prize money due to his amateur status. Bezuidenhout is pacing to challenge his career-best major performance, a tied-12th finish at the US Open last month, despite a second round two-over 73 on Friday that saw him lose ground on the leading pack. A weekend charge could add to his country's storied history at The Open, with South African golfers lifting the Claret Jug 10 times, though not on the two previous occasions that Portrush hosted the major. Bobby Locke won four times during a dominant stretch in the 1950s, before Gary Player notched three victories of his own. A 28-year barren run ensued before Ernie Els triumphed in 2002, 'The Big Easy' adding another in 2012 after compatriot Louis Oosthuizen had powered to glory at St. Andrews two years prior. CNN's Ben Church contributed to this report.
