Archive

Public health

CoveragePost

Labour’s capital gains NZ tax gamble – from leak to launch

October 29, 2025

COMMENTARY: By Craig McCulloch, RNZ News acting political editor It was hardly a dream debut for Labour’s long-awaited, much-argued-over tax package for Aotearoa New Zealand. What was meant to be a carefully choreographed reveal of a capital gains tax (CGT) later this week instead arrived early — leaked to RNZ over the long weekend and ... <a title="Labour’s capital gains NZ tax gamble – from leak to launch" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/10/29/labours-capital-gains-nz-tax-gamble-from-leak-to-launch/" aria-label="Read more about Labour’s capital gains NZ tax gamble – from leak to launch">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

‘Alarming gaps’ – WHO warns NZ to urgently close measles vaccination gap among Māori and Pacific communities

October 28, 2025

By Coco Lance, RNZ Pacific digital journalist The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned Aotearoa New Zealand to urgently close the “alarming” gaps in measles immunisation, particularly among Māori and Pacific communities. A WHO review last year found measles vaccination rates were at their lowest since 2012, and said the country was at risk of ... <a title="‘Alarming gaps’ – WHO warns NZ to urgently close measles vaccination gap among Māori and Pacific communities" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/10/28/alarming-gaps-who-warns-nz-to-urgently-close-measles-vaccination-gap-among-maori-and-pacific-communities/" aria-label="Read more about ‘Alarming gaps’ – WHO warns NZ to urgently close measles vaccination gap among Māori and Pacific communities">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

‘HIV shouldn’t be death sentence in Fiji’ – call for testing amid outbreak

June 6, 2025

By Christina Persico, RNZ Pacific bulletin editor Fiji’s Minister for Health and Medical Services has revealed the latest HIV numbers in the country to a development partner roundtable discussing the national response. The minister reported 490 new HIV cases between October and December last year, bringing the 2024 total to 1583. “Included in this number ... <a title="‘HIV shouldn’t be death sentence in Fiji’ – call for testing amid outbreak" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/06/06/hiv-shouldnt-be-death-sentence-in-fiji-call-for-testing-amid-outbreak/" aria-label="Read more about ‘HIV shouldn’t be death sentence in Fiji’ – call for testing amid outbreak">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

Health chief ‘conductor of an orchestra who’s never played an instrument’

May 20, 2025

ANALYSIS: By Ian Powell In February 2025, Dr Diana Sarfati resigned, not unexpectedly, as Director-General of Health after only two years into her five-year term. As a medical specialist, and in her role as developing the successful cancer control agency, she had extensive experience in New Zealand’s health system. However, she did not conform to ... <a title="Health chief ‘conductor of an orchestra who’s never played an instrument’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/05/20/health-chief-conductor-of-an-orchestra-whos-never-played-an-instrument/" aria-label="Read more about Health chief ‘conductor of an orchestra who’s never played an instrument’">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

NZ doctors defend nationwide strike action over recruitment

May 1, 2025

By Ruth Hill, RNZ News reporter Striking senior New Zealand doctors have hit back at the Health Minister’s attack on their union for “forcing” patients to wait longer for surgery and appointments, due to their 24-hour industrial action. Respiratory and sleep physician Dr Andrew Davies, who was on the picketline outside Wellington Regional Hospital, said ... <a title="NZ doctors defend nationwide strike action over recruitment" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/05/01/nz-doctors-defend-nationwide-strike-action-over-recruitment/" aria-label="Read more about NZ doctors defend nationwide strike action over recruitment">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

Gallery: Doctors, health workers challenge NZ government over national crisis

May 1, 2025

Asia Pacific Report Thousands of senior hospital doctors and specialists walked off the job today for an unprecedented 24-hour strike in protest over stalled contract negotiations and thousands of other health workers protested across Aotearoa New Zealand against the coalition government’s cutbacks to the public health service Te Whatu Ora. In spite of the disruptive ... <a title="Gallery: Doctors, health workers challenge NZ government over national crisis" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/05/01/gallery-doctors-health-workers-challenge-nz-government-over-national-crisis/" aria-label="Read more about Gallery: Doctors, health workers challenge NZ government over national crisis">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

How New Zealand is venturing down the road of political upheaval

March 12, 2025

With the sudden departure of New Zealand’s Reserve Bank Governor, one has to ask whether there is a pattern here — of a succession of public sector leaders leaving their posts in uncertain circumstances and a series of decisions being made without much regard for due process. It brings to mind the current spectacle of ... <a title="How New Zealand is venturing down the road of political upheaval" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/03/12/how-new-zealand-is-venturing-down-the-road-of-political-upheaval/" aria-label="Read more about How New Zealand is venturing down the road of political upheaval">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

Port Moresby hospital morgue full – 257 bodies lie unclaimed

February 2, 2024

By Claudia Tally in Port Moresby Sixty four compartments of Papua New Guinea’s main mortuary have been out of service since the festive season while a new refrigerated container has also broken down, leaving the hospital looking for room while another 257 dead bodies lie unclaimed. Port Moresby General Hospital Chief Executive Officer Dr Paki ... <a title="Port Moresby hospital morgue full – 257 bodies lie unclaimed" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/02/02/port-moresby-hospital-morgue-full-257-bodies-lie-unclaimed/" aria-label="Read more about Port Moresby hospital morgue full – 257 bodies lie unclaimed">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

1 in 50 Fijian children may have rheumatic heart disease, says health chief

September 30, 2023

By Pauliasi Mateboto in Suva One in 50 Fijian children could have rheumatic heart disease and children between the ages of five to 15 years are the most at risk of rheumatic fever. While revealing these alarming statistics, Health Secretary Dr James Fong revealed the high figures indicated the high screening conducted by the ministry, ... <a title="1 in 50 Fijian children may have rheumatic heart disease, says health chief" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/09/30/1-in-50-fijian-children-may-have-rheumatic-heart-disease-says-health-chief/" aria-label="Read more about 1 in 50 Fijian children may have rheumatic heart disease, says health chief">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

Rabaul hospital’s morgue out of service for five years – funding needed

September 7, 2023

By Dianne Wilson in Rabaul, PNG As the Papua New Guinea government continues its globe trotting, the Nonga Base hospital in Rabaul, East New Britain province, is facing a crisis with no morgue cooling chamber for the last five years. The dead are piled on top of each other and are put into chest freezers ... <a title="Rabaul hospital’s morgue out of service for five years – funding needed" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/09/07/rabaul-hospitals-morgue-out-of-service-for-five-years-funding-needed/" aria-label="Read more about Rabaul hospital’s morgue out of service for five years – funding needed">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

NZ’s covid-19 mandates end: GP group says some mask-wearing, self-isolation still important

August 16, 2023

A GPs advocacy group says that practices learned from the covid-19 pandemic, like staying home when sick or wearing masks in health facilities, should remain in place to halt the spread of infectious diseases. As of August 15, the mandates ended for the seven-day isolation period and masks in health settings, with the Health Minister ... <a title="NZ’s covid-19 mandates end: GP group says some mask-wearing, self-isolation still important" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/08/16/nzs-covid-19-mandates-end-gp-group-says-some-mask-wearing-self-isolation-still-important/" aria-label="Read more about NZ’s covid-19 mandates end: GP group says some mask-wearing, self-isolation still important">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

Indonesian critic condemns draft health law as based on ‘fake paper’

June 18, 2023

By Singgih Wiryono in Jakarta Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) chair Muhammad Isnur has condemned the drafting of the Healthcare Bill (RUU Kesehatan) as “fake”, saying that the draft is almost the same as the Omnibus Law on Job Creation (Cipta Kerja). According to Isnur, the similarity can be seen from a test of the ... <a title="Indonesian critic condemns draft health law as based on ‘fake paper’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/06/18/indonesian-critic-condemns-draft-health-law-as-based-on-fake-paper/" aria-label="Read more about Indonesian critic condemns draft health law as based on ‘fake paper’">Read more</a>