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Plain-language guides, medicine information and emergency numbers for South Africa.

Health guides

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HypertensionHigh blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke in South Africa.Read guide
Type 2 DiabetesA chronic condition affecting how the body processes blood sugar (glucose).Read guide
HIV/AIDSSouth Africa has the largest HIV treatment programme in the world.Read guide
Tuberculosis (TB)TB remains one of South Africa's top health challenges, but it is curable.Read guide
AsthmaA chronic respiratory condition causing airway inflammation and breathing difficulty.Read guide
DepressionA common but serious mood disorder that affects daily functioning.Read guide
EpilepsyEpilepsy causes recurrent seizures from disrupted brain activity. Anti-epileptic medicines control most seizures, and treatment is free at SA public clinics.Read guide
High CholesterolElevated blood cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.Read guide

Everyday symptoms

Painkillers – which one to take, and how not to double upSouth African pharmacy shelves carry dozens of painkillers, but most are built from the same few ingredients — here is how to tell them apart.Read guide
Hay fever in South Africa – what sets it off, and what helpsHighveld grass pollen, Cape north-westers and year-round dust mite allergy — what actually helps, and which antihistamines make you sleepy.Read guide
Heartburn and reflux – what to try, and when to see a doctorBurning behind the breastbone is usually reflux and usually manageable — but a few symptoms mean you should stop self-treating and get checked.Read guide
Diarrhoea – how to rehydrate, and when it needs a clinicIn South Africa the danger from diarrhoea is dehydration, not the diarrhoea itself — and the treatment that saves lives costs almost nothing.Read guide
Colds and flu – telling them apart, and what helpsA cold builds slowly and a flu arrives like a truck. Neither is helped by antibiotics. What actually shortens the misery, and the signs that need a clinic.Read guide
Sore throat – when antibiotics help, and when they do notMost sore throats are viral and settle on their own. The minority that are bacterial matter, because untreated strep can damage the heart.Read guide
Constipation – what to try before reaching for laxativesNormal ranges from three times a day to three times a week. What actually helps, why some laxatives should not be a habit, and the symptoms to take seriously.Read guide
Back pain – why rest is usually the wrong answerMost back pain has no serious cause and improves with movement rather than bed rest. What helps, what does not, and the red flags that change everything.Read guide
Headaches and migraine – telling them apartTension headache, migraine and the headache caused by painkillers themselves need different answers. How to tell which you have.Read guide
Urinary infections – recognising one, and when it is seriousBurning and urgency usually mean a bladder infection. Fever and back pain mean it has reached the kidney, which is a different matter entirely.Read guide
Rashes – the ones that need a doctor todayMost rashes are harmless and settle. A few are emergencies, and they are recognisable. What to look for, and what to do meanwhile.Read guide
Always tired – the causes worth testing forPersistent exhaustion is one of the commonest reasons people see a doctor, and several of the causes are simple blood tests away.Read guide
A cough that will not go away – when to get checkedA cough lasting two weeks or more should be checked for TB in South Africa. What causes a lingering cough, what helps, and the signs that need urgent care.Read guide
Ear pain and ear infections – what to doEarache in adults and children, when it needs a clinic, why most ear infections do not need antibiotics, and the warning signs behind the ear that need urgent care.Read guide
Dizziness and vertigo – causes and when to worryFeeling faint, off-balance or as if the room is spinning are different problems with different causes. How to tell them apart, and the signs that mean call an ambulance.Read guide
Itchy skin and eczema – how to calm it downWhy skin itches, how to use moisturisers and steroid creams properly, and when itching is a sign of something that needs a clinic rather than a cream.Read guide
Ringworm and fungal skin infections – how to treat themRingworm, athlete's foot, jock itch and fungal nails: how to recognise them, how long treatment really takes, and why the wrong cream makes it worse.Read guide
Nausea and vomiting – what helps, and when to get helpNausea medication, rehydration and warning signs for adults and children in South Africa — including when home care is not enough.Read guide
Nausea after medicine – what to check firstWhat to do when a medicine makes you feel nauseated, which label details matter and when nausea needs urgent medical assessment.Read guide
Sore throat antibiotics – when they are neededWhy most sore throats do not automatically need antibiotics, what a clinician checks and which warning signs need urgent help.Read guide
Ear infection antibiotics – when a clinician decidesWhy ear pain does not always need antibiotics, what an examination can show and when an ear infection needs urgent care.Read guide
Ringworm on the scalp or nails – when to get helpWhy scalp and nail ringworm needs a different level of care from a small skin patch, and when a South African clinic should assess it.Read guide
Hay fever medicine – what to ask a pharmacistA safe South African guide to hay-fever medicine, nasal symptoms, drowsiness and when allergy symptoms need more than a pharmacy product.Read guide

Healthy living

Healthy eating – South Africa's guidelines in plain wordsSouth Africa has its own official dietary guidelines, written around what people here actually eat. Here is what they say, without the nutrition jargon.Read guide
Salt – why cutting down matters, and where it is hidingSouth Africa was one of the first countries to cap salt in everyday foods by law. Most of what you eat is still added before you ever reach for the shaker.Read guide
Sugary drinks – what they do, and what to drink insteadA cool drink delivers a lot of sugar with no fullness at all, which is why it adds to what you eat rather than replacing any of it. What that means, and the alternatives.Read guide
Eating well on a tight budget – what to buy firstHealthy eating advice usually assumes a full trolley. This is what to prioritise when the trolley is not full, using foods that are widely available in South Africa.Read guide
Physical activity – how much you need, and how to startThe official target is 150 minutes a week, and almost nobody starts there. What the guidance actually says, and how to build up without a gym.Read guide
Weight loss – what works, and what to ignoreSlimming teas, detoxes and appetite pills are widely sold in South Africa and mostly do nothing. What the evidence supports, and the warning signs of a dangerous product.Read guide
Alcohol – what low-risk drinking means, and how to cut downSouth Africans who drink, drink heavily by world standards. What a standard drink actually is, what the risks are, and practical ways to cut down.Read guide
Quitting smoking – what works, and the first monthWillpower alone succeeds for a small minority. What raises the odds several-fold, what the first month actually feels like, and what is available in South Africa.Read guide
Vaping – what is known, what is not, and the law hereVaping is not harmless, and it is not the same risk as smoking. What the evidence currently supports, and where South African law now stands.Read guide
Teeth and gums – looking after them on any budgetTooth decay is the most common chronic disease in South African children and largely preventable. What actually works, and what to skip.Read guide
Eyes – the checks that catch problems before you noticeGlaucoma and diabetic eye disease steal sight painlessly and irreversibly. Who needs testing, how often, and what cannot wait.Read guide
Hearing – protecting it, and what to do when it goesNoise damage is permanent and entirely preventable. Untreated hearing loss is also one of the larger modifiable risk factors for dementia.Read guide
Vitamins and supplements – what is worth takingWhich supplements have real evidence behind them, who actually needs one, how they interact with prescription medicines, and how to spot a product making claims it cannot keep.Read guide
Smoking cessation medicines – ask before you startHow medicine, counselling and a quit plan can work together, and what to check before using smoking-cessation treatment in South Africa.Read guide
Vaping and asthma – what the symptoms meanWhy vaping can complicate asthma symptoms, what to record and when cough, wheeze or chest tightness needs an urgent assessment.Read guide

Checks and prevention

Health checks – which ones you need, and how oftenMost South African adults have never had their blood pressure or blood sugar checked. Here is what is worth checking, when, and where you can get it free.Read guide
Cervical screening – when to go, and what happensCervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers there is, and one of the most common in South African women. The schedule here, and what the test involves.Read guide
Breast cancer – what to check for, and when to be screenedMost breast lumps are not cancer, and most breast cancers found early are treatable. What to look for, and what South African screening actually offers.Read guide
Men's health – the symptoms worth taking to a doctorSouth African men see a clinician less often and present later with almost everything. The symptoms that are worth an appointment rather than a wait-and-see.Read guide
South Africa vaccination schedule – childhood vaccinesSouth Africa's childhood vaccination schedule, where routine vaccines are given, and what to do if a child is behind.Read guide
The flu vaccine – who needs it, and when to get itSouth Africa's flu season runs roughly from April to July, and the vaccine is reformulated for our hemisphere each year. Who it is recommended for, and when.Read guide
Stroke – how to spot one, and how to lower your riskA stroke is a medical emergency where minutes change the outcome. How to recognise one, what to do immediately, and what actually reduces the risk.Read guide
Cholesterol – what the numbers mean, and what changes themA cholesterol result has several numbers and only some of them matter on their own. What each means, and what genuinely moves them.Read guide
The HPV vaccine in South Africa – who gets it and whyHow the school-based HPV vaccination programme works, what the vaccine protects against, its safety record, and why cervical screening still matters afterwards.Read guide
Donating blood in South Africa – who can and howWho is eligible to donate, what happens on the day, how often you can give, and the deferral rules that catch people out — plus what to eat before and after.Read guide
Hepatitis B – how it spreads and how to prevent itHow hepatitis B is transmitted in South Africa, why the childhood vaccine matters, who should be tested, and what living with long-term infection involves.Read guide
Cervical screening – how often in South AfricaHow often cervical screening is needed in South Africa, why HIV status and test type change the interval and how the national programme is evolving.Read guide
Pap smear vs HPV test – what the difference isPap smear and HPV testing are different ways to screen for cervical disease. Learn what each test looks for and why follow-up still matters.Read guide
Blood donation requirements – South Africa checklistThe basic South African blood-donation requirements from SANBS, what staff check on the day and why final eligibility is decided at the centre.Read guide
How blood donation works – from check-in to restWhat happens at a South African blood-donation visit, from the questionnaire and checks to donation and recovery.Read guide
Catch-up vaccines – what to do in South AfricaWhat to do when a child or adult has missed a vaccine, how records help and why a clinic should create the catch-up plan.Read guide
Adult vaccines – which ones to ask aboutThe adult vaccination questions worth asking in South Africa, including age, pregnancy, chronic illness, work, travel and previous records.Read guide
Cholesterol blood test – how to read the resultWhat total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides mean, why the whole cardiovascular risk matters and what to ask after a blood test.Read guide

Long-term conditions

High blood pressure – the numbers, and how to lower themRoughly one in three South African adults has high blood pressure, and most feel completely well — which is exactly what makes it dangerous.Read guide
Type 2 diabetes – managing it day to day in South AfricaWhat the glucose numbers mean, why metformin is almost always first, and the daily habits that decide how the next twenty years go.Read guide
Asthma inhalers – which one does what, and how to use themMost poorly controlled asthma comes down to two fixable things — using the preventer only when unwell, and poor inhaler technique.Read guide
COPD – living with it, and slowing it downLung damage from smoking, indoor smoke or old TB does not reverse — but the decline can be slowed dramatically, and most of that is not medication.Read guide
Osteoarthritis – managing joint pain for the long termThe joint wear that comes with age and use. Why exercise helps rather than harms, and what the evidence says about the supplements sold for it.Read guide
Gout – stopping the attacks, not just treating themAn excruciating attack is the visible part. The treatment that prevents the next one is a different medicine, taken daily, and it is where most people go wrong.Read guide
Kidney disease – catching it long before dialysisKidneys can lose most of their function without a single symptom. Who should be tested, what the numbers mean, and what protects what is left.Read guide
Thyroid problems – under-active and over-activeTiredness, weight change, feeling cold or wired — thyroid symptoms are vague enough to be missed for years, and the test is straightforward.Read guide
Anaemia – why you are tired, and what is causing itAnaemia is a finding, not a diagnosis. Treating the low iron without finding the reason for it is how a serious cause gets missed.Read guide
Sleep apnoea – the snoring that actually mattersLoud snoring with pauses in breathing is not just a nuisance. It raises blood pressure and stroke risk, and it is very treatable.Read guide
Irritable bowel – managing it when tests come back normalReal symptoms, normal investigations. What IBS is, what triggers it, and the red flags that mean it is something else.Read guide
Epilepsy – living with it and taking your medicineWhat epilepsy is, why never missing a dose matters more here than almost anywhere, driving and safety rules, and what to do when someone has a seizure.Read guide
Heart failure – daily weights, salt and your medicinesWhat heart failure means, why weighing yourself every morning catches trouble early, which symptoms mean go to hospital, and how the medicines fit together.Read guide
Psoriasis – managing flares and looking after your skinWhat psoriasis is, why it is not contagious, the treatments that work from creams upward, and the joint and heart risks that come with it.Read guide
Glaucoma and cataracts – protecting your sightTwo of the biggest causes of sight loss in South Africa. Why glaucoma has no early symptoms, why cataract surgery works so well, and who should have their eyes checked.Read guide
Medication adherence – how to never miss a dosePractical ways to build a medication routine, use reminders, manage disruptions and get safe advice after a missed dose.Read guide
Asthma inhaler types – reliever, preventer and moreThe main asthma inhaler types, what reliever and preventer treatment are for, and why the device technique matters as much as the medicine.Read guide
How asthma inhalers work – the simple explanationWhy asthma inhalers can open narrowed airways, calm inflammation or do both, and how poor technique can make a good treatment seem ineffective.Read guide
Asthma reliever vs preventer – the differenceReliever and preventer asthma inhalers have different jobs. Learn how to tell them apart and why relying on one role alone can be unsafe.Read guide
Asthma spacer – how to use one correctlyA South African inhaler-and-spacer technique guide for adults and children, including when a mask or mouthpiece is used.Read guide
Inhaler for a cough – when asthma needs checkingA cough does not automatically need an inhaler. Learn when cough can fit an asthma pattern and when a clinician should look for another cause.Read guide
Gout attack – what to do while you seek careHow to respond to a painful gout flare, why a first hot joint needs assessment and how long-term prevention differs from attack treatment.Read guide
Home blood pressure monitoring – record useful readingsHow to prepare for a home blood-pressure reading, record a useful trend and know when a number needs urgent medical help.Read guide

Mental health

Anxiety – what it does to your body, and what helpsWhat anxiety actually does to the body, techniques that work in the moment, and the point at which it is worth getting help.Read guide
Depression – how to recognise it, and where to get helpDepression is not sadness — it is a loss of function and feeling that lifts with treatment, and most people who get help do get better.Read guide
Sleep – how to fix a bad stretch without a sleeping tabletSleeping tablets work for a week or two and cause problems after that — here is what actually fixes long-term poor sleep.Read guide
Work stress and burnout – spotting it before it flattens youBurnout is not the same as being tired or stressed, and rest alone does not fix it. What distinguishes it, and what actually helps.Read guide
Caring for someone – looking after yourself tooCarers have worse health outcomes than the people they care for in some respects. What actually helps, and why asking for help is not a failure.Read guide
Panic attacks – what is happening, and how to ride one outA panic attack feels like dying and is not dangerous. Understanding the mechanism is most of the treatment, because the fear of the next one is what keeps them coming.Read guide
Grief – what is normal, and when to get helpGrief has no timetable and no correct order. What it actually looks like, what helps, and the signs it has become something that needs treatment.Read guide
Trauma and PTSD – how it shows up, and what helpsSouth Africa has very high exposure to violence and accidents. Most people recover without treatment; the ones who do not have a specific, treatable condition.Read guide
ADHD in adults – recognising it lateMany adults reach diagnosis after their own child is assessed. What it looks like when it is not a hyperactive schoolboy, and what treatment involves.Read guide
Antidepressants – what to expect in the first weeksThe side effects come first and the benefit comes later, which is why so many people stop in week two. What actually happens, and when to call.Read guide
Substance use – recognising a problem, and getting help hereThe line between heavy use and dependence is not about what you use. What the warning signs are, and what help exists in South Africa.Read guide
Suicidal thoughts – where to get help right nowSouth African crisis lines, what to do tonight if you are not safe, how to help someone who tells you they are struggling, and what happens when you reach out.Read guide
Bipolar disorder – recognising it and staying wellWhat mania and depression look like in bipolar disorder, why treatment continues between episodes, the monitoring some medicines need, and what to watch for.Read guide
Depression after birth – more than the baby bluesHow postnatal depression differs from the baby blues, what it looks like, why it is not a failure of love, and how to get help in South Africa.Read guide

Women's health

Menopause – what to expect, and what actually helpsHot flushes are the famous part. The sleep, mood, joint and bladder changes catch people out, and several are treatable rather than endurable.Read guide
Heavy and painful periods – when it stops being normalBleeding that soaks through hourly, or pain that stops you working, is not something to endure. What causes it and what treats it.Read guide
Endometriosis – why period pain can be a diagnosisIt takes years to diagnose, largely because severe period pain gets normalised. What it is, what raises suspicion, and what helps.Read guide
Contraception – the options available in South AfricaWhat is offered free at public clinics, how well each works in real use, and the questions worth asking before choosing.Read guide
Vaginal discharge – what is normal, and what is notDischarge changes through the cycle and that is healthy. What thrush, bacterial vaginosis and an infection needing treatment actually look like.Read guide
Bladder leaks – common, and far more treatable than assumedLeaking when you cough or not making it to the toilet are different problems with different treatments. Neither is an inevitable part of ageing or childbirth.Read guide
PCOS – irregular periods, weight and fertilityWhat polycystic ovary syndrome is, how it is diagnosed, what actually helps with periods, hair growth and weight, and its links to diabetes and fertility.Read guide
Trying to conceive – what helps and when to askTiming, folic acid, what to stop before conception, how long is normal before seeking help, and what fertility assessment involves in South Africa.Read guide

Men's health

An enlarged prostate – the symptoms, and what can be doneGetting up at night and a weakening stream are common after 50 and usually not cancer. What helps, and the emergency that needs a hospital.Read guide
Erectile difficulties – often an early warning signGradual onset is usually a blood vessel problem, which makes it an early warning for heart disease and diabetes rather than only a sexual issue.Read guide
Testicular lumps – checking, and why speed mattersTesticular cancer mainly affects young men and is among the most curable cancers when caught early. Most lumps are not cancer, and all need checking.Read guide
Male fertility – what affects sperm and what helpsWhat a semen analysis measures, the everyday things that reduce sperm quality, which medicines and conditions matter, and when to get checked.Read guide

Pregnancy and children

Pregnancy – what to do in the first few weeksThe first weeks matter more than most people realise, and much of what helps happens before the first clinic visit. What to start, stop and book.Read guide
Breastfeeding – getting through the first few weeksMost breastfeeding problems happen early, are common, and are fixable. What is normal, what is not, and where to get help in South Africa.Read guide
Feeding a baby and toddler – what, when and how muchStarting solids, fussy eating and the growth chart in the Road to Health booklet. What to expect, and the signs that need a clinic.Read guide
Fever in a child – what to do, and when to worryMost childhood fevers are viral and settle on their own. How the child looks matters far more than the number on the thermometer.Read guide
Screen time and children – what actually mattersThe hours are a weaker predictor than what the screen replaced and what is on it. A practical approach that survives real family life.Read guide
Teenagers – talking about alcohol, vaping and drugsScare tactics reliably fail and can backfire. What works better, and the South African context that makes these conversations urgent.Read guide
Antenatal visits – what happens at each check-upWhat is checked at pregnancy visits in South Africa, which tests are offered and why, what to take with you, and the danger signs that mean go now.Read guide
Deworming children – when and why in South AfricaHow children pick up worms, the signs, how routine deworming campaigns work, and the hygiene measures that stop reinfection a month later.Read guide
Teething and nappy rash – what helps a babyWhat teething really does and does not cause, why teething gels are not recommended, how to clear nappy rash, and the signs that mean it is not teething at all.Read guide
Baby feeding schedule – a safe starting guideWhy babies need responsive feeding rather than a rigid clock, what records can help and when feeding problems need a clinic.Read guide

Growing older

Falls after 60 – why they matter, and how to prevent themA fall is often the event that ends independent living, and most of the causes are fixable. What raises the risk, and what genuinely lowers it.Read guide
Memory changes – what is normal ageing and what is notForgetting a name is not the same as forgetting the way home. The difference, the treatable causes people miss, and what help exists here.Read guide
Bones – keeping them strong, and what osteoporosis meansOsteoporosis has no symptoms until something breaks. What builds bone across a lifetime, and who should be assessed.Read guide

HIV & TB

HIV treatment – what undetectable means, and why it mattersSouth Africa runs the largest treatment programme in the world, it is free at public clinics, and consistent treatment makes the virus untransmittable.Read guide
TB treatment – what the six months ahead actually involveTB is curable and treatment is free — but it is a long course, and stopping early is how drug-resistant TB is created.Read guide
PrEP – taking medicine to prevent HIVWhat PrEP is, who it is for, how to get it free in South Africa, how long before it protects you, and what the regular check-ups are for.Read guide
PEP – what to do within 72 hours of HIV exposureEmergency HIV medicine after a condom breaks, a sexual assault or a needlestick. Where to go, why the 72-hour window is absolute, and what the course involves.Read guide
HIV undetectable and U=U – what it meansWhat an undetectable HIV viral load means in South Africa, how U=U works and why treatment and monitoring still continue.Read guide
HIV viral load – what undetectable meansHow an HIV viral-load test relates to the word undetectable, why one result is not a cure and what follow-up is for.Read guide
HIV treatment adherence – staying undetectablePractical, non-judgemental ways to protect HIV treatment adherence, manage missed doses and get help before a treatment interruption grows.Read guide
PrEP vs PEP – which HIV prevention is which?The difference between PrEP before possible HIV exposure and PEP after a possible exposure, with the time-sensitive next steps in South Africa.Read guide
Where to get PrEP in South Africa – what to askHow to approach a South African clinic or HIV service about PrEP, which tests and follow-up matter and what to do after a possible exposure.Read guide

Using medicine safely

Acute medication – what short-term treatment meansWhat acute medication means, why a short course is not automatically harmless, and how to use short-term treatment safely in South Africa.Read guide
Medicine dosage – how to take a dose safelyHow to read a tablet, capsule or liquid medicine label, avoid double dosing and know when a pharmacist should confirm the instructions.Read guide
Generic vs brand medicine – is it really the same thing?Your pharmacist offers you a different box to the one your doctor wrote. Here is what is actually different, and what is not.Read guide
Medicine schedules in South Africa – S0 to S8 explainedHow South Africa's medicine schedules control supply, from general sale to pharmacy medicines, prescriptions and controlled products.Read guide
Missed dose – what to do, and when doubling up is dangerousThe safe general rule, the medicines where it matters most, and why doubling up is almost never the answer.Read guide
Storing medicine – heat, load-shedding and child safetyHeat, load-shedding and curious toddlers — the three things most likely to ruin your medicine or cause an accident.Read guide
Antibiotics – when they help, and why the course mattersAntibiotics do nothing for a cold, and South Africa already has infections that are difficult to treat — how you use them matters to everyone.Read guide
Medicine interactions – the combinations worth knowingInteractions are why one pharmacy should see your whole list. The ones that matter most in South Africa, and how to avoid them without a pharmacology degree.Read guide
Traditional medicine alongside prescribed medicineMost South Africans who use both do not tell their doctor. The risks are real and the solution is disclosure, not abstinence.Read guide
Taking many medicines – keeping it safeEvery additional medicine raises the chance of an interaction, a side effect and a mistake. How to stay on top of a long list, and when to ask for a review.Read guide
Giving medicine to children safelyChildren are dosed by weight, not by age, and the margin for error is narrower. The rules that prevent the most common mistakes.Read guide
Steroid tablets – what to know before and during a courseVery effective, and with real consequences when taken long or stopped suddenly. What to expect from a short course and what changes with a long one.Read guide
Blood thinners – living with warfarin or a newer oneThey prevent strokes and clots, and they raise bleeding risk. What changes day to day, what to avoid, and the bleeding that needs a hospital.Read guide
Collecting chronic medicine without queuing all daySouth Africa has a national programme that sends repeat chronic medicine to a pickup point near you. How it works, and how not to fall off it.Read guide
Reading a medicine label – what every part meansHow to read a South African medicine label and leaflet: the generic name, the strength, the schedule, the expiry, and the warnings people skip past.Read guide
Disposing of old medicine – the safe wayWhy leftover and expired medicine should not go in the bin or the toilet, where to take it in South Africa, and how to clear out a cupboard safely.Read guide
Medicine and alcohol – which combinations are riskyWhich common medicines should not be mixed with alcohol, why some combinations are dangerous rather than merely unwise, and what to do at a social occasion.Read guide
Medicine schedule chart – South Africa's S0 to S8A plain-language South African medicine schedule chart: what S0 to S8 control, what a schedule does not tell you, and where to check.Read guide
Pharmacy-only medicine – how OTC rules workPharmacy-only and over-the-counter medicine are not always used as legal terms in the same way. Learn what to check before buying or sharing a product.Read guide
Schedule 2 medicine – is it over the counter?What Schedule 2 means in South Africa, why the pharmacist still matters, and how to check whether a particular product needs a prescription.Read guide
Schedule 3 and 4 medicine – prescription rulesThe practical difference between Schedule 3 and Schedule 4 medicine in South Africa, plus the checks that prevent unsafe repeat use.Read guide
Schedule 5 and 6 medicines – what S5 and S6 meanWhat South African Schedule 5 and Schedule 6 controls are trying to protect, and why these medicines need careful professional follow-up.Read guide
Schedule 7 and 8 medicines – what the levels meanWhy South African Schedule 7 and 8 medicines are tightly controlled, and how to find current product-specific information without relying on old lists.Read guide
Medicine schedule checks – use the official recordHow to check a medicine's South African schedule by ingredient, form and strength, and what to ask a pharmacist when records disagree.Read guide
Tramadol schedule in South Africa – how to check itHow to verify the South African schedule and safe-use information for tramadol without turning a schedule question into a dose recommendation.Read guide
Medicine schedule vs dosage – what the words meanSchedule, strength, dose and frequency are different medicine words. Learn which one controls supply and which ones control how treatment is taken.Read guide
Reading a prescription – the safety checksHow to check the medicine, strength, instructions, duration and repeat details on a prescription before leaving a South African pharmacy.Read guide
Someone else's prescription – why not to share itWhy a prescription cannot safely be transferred to another person, even when the symptoms look similar, and what to do instead.Read guide
Chronic medicine refills – plan before you run outA practical refill plan for chronic medicine: track remaining supply, collection dates, repeats, travel and what to do when a refill is delayed.Read guide

Staying safe

Sun safety – South Africa's UV is among the world's highestSouth Africa's UV levels are among the highest of any populated country, and skin cancer rates here are among the world's highest. What actually protects you.Read guide
Drinking water – how to make it safe when the tap is notMost South African municipal water is safe, but supply failures and contamination happen. How to tell, how to treat water at home, and what to do about diarrhoea.Read guide
Snakebite – what to do, and the advice that makes it worseMost South African snakebite first aid people have heard is wrong, and some of it causes more damage than the bite. What actually helps before hospital.Read guide
Malaria – where the risk is, and how to avoid itMalaria in South Africa is limited to specific areas and seasons, but any fever after visiting one is malaria until proven otherwise. Where, when, and what to do.Read guide
Dog bites and rabies – why this is always urgentRabies is present in South Africa and is almost always fatal once symptoms begin. It is also completely preventable if treatment starts promptly after a bite.Read guide
Heat exhaustion and heatstroke – telling them apartOne is treated in the shade with fluids; the other is a life-threatening emergency. The difference is confusion, and it decides what you do next.Read guide
Load-shedding – the health risks, and planning around themPower cuts affect medicine storage, home oxygen, food safety and how people heat and light their homes. The risks worth planning for, in order of seriousness.Read guide
Burns and scalds – the first ten minutes decide the scarCool running water for twenty minutes is the single most effective burn treatment there is, and most household remedies actively make the injury worse.Read guide
CPR – what to do when someone collapsesHands-only CPR is what bystanders are now taught, because it works and people actually do it. The steps, and why doing something beats doing nothing.Read guide
Choking – what to do in the next sixty secondsA person who can cough should be left to cough. A person who cannot make a sound needs back blows now. The difference decides everything.Read guide
Road safety – the biggest preventable killer of the youngSouth Africa's road deaths are among the world's highest. The factors are known, and most of them are choices made before the journey starts.Read guide
Drowning – fast, silent, and largely preventableDrowning does not look like drowning. It is quiet and takes under a minute, and supervision is what prevents it — not swimming lessons alone.Read guide
Tick bite fever – a very South African illnessA black scab where a tick bit, then fever and a severe headache days later. Common here, easily treated, and easily mistaken for flu.Read guide
Bilharzia – rivers, dams and what to watch forSwimming in fresh water in parts of South Africa carries a real risk of a parasite that causes long-term damage. It is easily treated once found.Read guide
First aid – the handful of things everyone should knowMost first aid is remembering a small number of things in the right order. The ones that change outcomes, and the outdated advice to drop.Read guide
Tick bite fever vs malaria – the key differencesTick bite fever and malaria are different infections with different routes of spread. What to tell a clinician after travel, outdoor exposure or a fever.Read guide
Boil water in South Africa – when and howWhat to do during a South African water-quality alert, how boiling fits into household treatment and how to store treated water safely.Read guide
Tap water safety – what to do after an alertHow to decide what to do with tap water after a South African supply interruption, contamination alert or change in taste and smell.Read guide
Malaria travel prevention – questions to askHow to plan for malaria risk when travelling in or from South Africa: area-specific advice, mosquito protection and when fever needs urgent care.Read guide
Sunburn treatment – safer first steps in South AfricaWhat to do for sunburn, how to protect damaged skin and which signs mean a child or adult needs medical assessment.Read guide
First-aid kit – what to keep at homeA practical South African home first-aid kit list, what each item is for and why emergency contacts and training matter more than a full box.Read guide

Emergencies

Emergency numbers in South Africa – who to call and whenWhich number to call, what the difference is between them, and what to say when someone answers.Read guide
Poisoning and overdose – what to do in the first few minutesDo not wait for symptoms and do not induce vomiting — the first move is a phone call, and having the container with you changes the treatment.Read guide
Seizure first aid – what to do and what not to doHow to help someone having a convulsive seizure, why you must never put anything in their mouth, and exactly when a seizure becomes an emergency.Read guide
Signs of a stroke – act FAST and call an ambulanceThe FAST test, the less obvious stroke signs people miss, why time is brain, and what to do and not do while you wait for help.Read guide
Anaphylaxis – recognising a severe allergic reactionHow to tell a severe allergic reaction from a mild one, how to use an adrenaline auto-injector, and why every case needs an ambulance even after it improves.Read guide
Ambulance number South Africa – what to useWhich South African emergency route to use when someone needs an ambulance, what information to give and what to do while help is coming.Read guide
Ambulance calls – choosing the right routeHow South African mobile and ambulance emergency routes fit together, what to do when a call does not connect and how to give a useful location.Read guide
Police emergency number South Africa – what to knowWhen to request police emergency help in South Africa, what information to give and how to protect yourself while responders are coming.Read guide
911 in South Africa – which number to useIf you are searching for 911 in South Africa, here is the local emergency directory, how to choose a route and what to say when the call connects.Read guide
Seizure first aid for children – what to doWhat to do when a child has a seizure, what not to put in the mouth and when to call emergency services.Read guide

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