Article written by Alex Hoffman (Engagement Manager, Syft Analytics)

Health, wellness. These are big buzz words, ones which are, perhaps, preferable to illness. Have you noticed the transition from discussions around "mental illness" to discussions around "mental health" for instance? This renewed emphasis on health may seem like a good thing, but I tend to be sceptical.

For all this talk about wellness, we live in an increasingly unwell society. According to a report conducted by The Lancet in June 2020, "obesity has tripled since 1975, and around 2 billion people are overweight worldwide". This, coupled with tobacco and alcohol use (or abuse), air pollution, insufficient physical activity, and unhealthy eating habits contribute to most non-communicable diseases (NCDs), that account for 72% of deaths worldwide. The Lancet report argues that governments are not doing enough to improve issues surrounding inequality, economic crises, or continuing environmental damage, which cumulatively impact upon health.

Article by Alan Shannon, Executive for Nedbank Small Business and Private Clients

For many small and medium enterprise (SME) owners, running a business isn't just a job but an integral part of who they are. The boundaries between personal and business life often blur, meaning that the health of their businesses is inextricably tied to their personal, emotional, and mental well-being. This means that the many unique challenges facing these business owners can have a profound impact on their mental health.

The Oxford Dictionary defines communication as “the imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium”. It seems simple but the process itself prompts, among others, the following questions: Does it apply to individual or mass interaction? Is it face-to-face or digitalised? Does it aim to inform, require action or simply put minds at ease? As part of its communication strategy, Medihelp continually aims to differentiate and institute various methods, such as segmentation and hyper-personalisation, and channels to address and contextualise variables. The challenge is not only to diversify the communication platform but to ensure that the message is heard and taken to heart – not an easy task in a world where information overload is a real concern.

South Africa had recorded at least 46 suspected cholera cases in the first month of 2024. According to the Minister of Health, three of these cases were due to cross-border travel. With these outbreaks making headline news, Dr Themba Hadebe, Clinical Executive at Bonitas Medical Fund has put together eight key facts about cholera. Researchers have estimated that each year there are around 1.3 to 4.0 million reported cases of cholera, resulting in between 21 000 to 143 000 deaths. However, general consensus is that this is under-estimated because of low reporting and limited laboratory services.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of an ‘alarming’ increase in measles cases – almost 45-fold in Europe last year - but outbreaks of new cases and even deaths are being reported globally. WHO believe this is a result of fewer children being vaccinated against the disease, especially during the Covid pandemic.

However, measles is preventable, thanks to a vaccine that was introduced in 1963. Since 2000, the measles vaccination programme has averted an estimated 57 million deaths worldwide.  However, the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted global vaccination activities which, in 2021, resulted in the lowest measles-containing-vaccine first-dose (MCV1) coverage levels since 2008.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious public health issue in South Africa.  280 000 people fell ill with TB during 2022 and, of these, an estimated 54 200 died from the disease. South Africa is one of the 30 high burden TB countries, contributing 87% of the estimated cases worldwide.  According to the Department of Health, the main driver of TB infection is HIV, with around 48% of TB patients living with HIV.

As a member of the United Nations, South Africa has committed to reducing new TB cases by 80% by 2030, compared with 2015 levels. Clinical data presented by the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that our country is meeting some of its targets but there are still too many people falling ill and dying.