public health

Auckland plastics and medical device manufacturer Adept Ltd wants to unleash the ideas of clever New Zealanders to help humanity, and is offering a $50,000 prize for the winning innovation.

Five feasibility awards announced by the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) today will investigate the feasibility of establishing larger public health and clinical research projects.

Today, Hawke’s Bay District Health Board’s Public Health Unit was able to exclude five suspect cases of Influenza A (H1N1) after test results returned a negative result overnight

The ability of New Zealanders to access private health care may come under increasing pressure if treatment costs continue to rise at current rates, according to not-for-profit health insurer, Southern Cross Medical Care Society.

New Zealand situation

Lakes and Bay of Plenty DHBs report that there are currently two suspected cases of Influenza A (H1N1) in isolation and eight contacts (with no symptoms) in quarantine in the two districts. There are still no confirmed cases of Influenza A (H1N1) in the Lakes or Bay of Plenty areas.

Today, Hawke’s Bay District Health Board announced the appointment of Dr Kevin Snee as its new Chief Executive.

Public health researchers at the University of Otago, Wellington say New Zealand is lagging well behind other developed countries in the promotion of healthy eating to children through the media and advertising.

Their recently published study shows that at a time when over 200,000 children in New Zealand (30%), are either obese or over-weight, and we are facing rapidly increasing rates of diabetes, the lack of direction regarding unhealthy food advertising is alarming. There are 1.1 million children and young people in New Zealand potentially exposed to this advertising on a daily basis.

After consultation with supplement manufacturers and scientists the Health Freedom NZ Trust has discovered inconsistencies within the Health Department. During the passage of the Therapeutic Products and Medicine Bill in 2006-2007, a staff member of the New Zealand Food Safety Authority was interviewed on Close Up. They passed the comment that they were keeping the upper level of 300 micrograms as recommended dosage in folic acid supplements - even though Ministry of Health recommendations for upper levels were 800 micrograms. Their reason stated on Close Up was because they did not trust supplement companies to get the right dosage in their product.

St John is well prepared to provide operational medical support to public health authorities while a small number of confirmed cases of Influenza A (H1N1) – previously referred to as Swine Flu – are being managed in New Zealand.

A public survey has shown overwhelming support for Rotorua District Council’s Smokefree Outdoor Spaces policy. The most recent survey shows 93% public support for the policy, which covers the Redwoods and all of Rotorua District Council’s children’s playgrounds.

New Zealand situation

In line with the rest of New Zealand, the Bay of Plenty’s health service is moving to a “manage it” phase in response to the Influenza A (H1N1) outbreak. The shift in phase reflects the increased spread of the virus, rather than a change in the severity of the illness.