Health
Meningococcal disease case at Otago University
The university was working with public health to contain the infection.
'Dying right in front of my eyes' - cancer patient's last chance dash to Australia
Dozens of doctors have signed an open letter to the prime minister, pleading for change to the access of treatments. Audio
Call for govt to drastically cut limit of nitrates in drinking water
It comes as the Danish government plans to lower its limit.
Blood cancer patient forced to leave family behind and move to Australia for treatment
The plight of a New Zealand blood cancer patient forced to leave his four children behind and make a last chance dash to Australia for treatment has prompted dozens of doctors to write an open letter… Audio
Doctors pleading for improvements in blood cancer care
A group of blood cancer specialists are expressing their alarm at the unnecessary loss of kiwi lives due to treatment in New Zealand lagging behind international standards. Dozens of doctors, nurses… Audio
Feature: Why you should change your dopamine driven behaviour
Dopamine is known as the brain's "happiness chemical". It's what we blame when we eat a whole bag of chips, a block of chocolate or doomscroll on social media, but that's not quite right Audio
Why you might want to clean your headphones
For good health, you need to let your ear canals 'breathe' throughout the day so they aren't constantly blocked, humid and hot.
One in five counsellors eye exit or scale-back
The Workforce Report from the New Zealand Association of Counsellors, also says long waiting lists for funded counselling mean many people are missing out. Audio
Expert warns low vaccination driving Covid wave
A health expert says low vaccination numbers are likely behind the latest wave of the virus, but Te Whatu Ora is not pushing GPs to encourage vaccination. General Practice New Zealand Dr Bryan Betty… Audio
Hospital staffing 'like moving the deck chairs around on the Titanic'
A union delegate and healthcare assistant says Christchurch ED was seeing more than 400 patients a day and some had to wait in corridors. Audio
Growing demand for counselling, industry body says
But counsellors say long wait lists and not enough publicly funded services are preventing people from seeking the help they need.
Covid-19 inquiry: Politicians on all sides find what they need in report
ACT has blasted the previous government for being power-hungry and NZ First maintained its reservations about the inquiry, but Labour defended the response as world-leading.
Lessons from the Covid inquiry
The 500-plus-page report looks at what it calls some of the "most difficult and divisive responses around vaccines and mandates".
Second part of Covid Inquiry released
Political opponents are taking starkly different lessons out of the new findings into how the country's Covid-19 response helped or harmed people. The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the pandemic… Audio
Midday Report Essentials for Tuesday 10 March 2026
Markets lurch back following Trump comments on Iran; Psychologist Dougal Sutherland on Covid's social 'long tail'; What impact does Iran war have on China and its relationships? Audio
National blasts Ardern government as Covid response inquiry released
"We got a lot right. More than most," the former PM and Grant Robertson say, while Simeon Brown says warnings about the economy "were not heeded".
It seems like Covid-19 is back - so what can you do to protect yourself?
Wastewater analysis from PHF Science shows the number of cases are currently at the highest rate for more than six months. It's been six years since New Zealand saw the rise of Covid-19, but experts… Audio
What have we learnt from the Covid-19 Inquiry?
To find out what is says, and what we can learn from NZ's response, Professor Marc Wilson from Victoria University's school of Psychology chats to Jesse. Audio
Psychologist Dougal Sutherland on Covid's social 'long tail'
Guyon Espiner spoke with Dr Dougal Sutherland, Senior Supervising Psychologist at Victoria University of Wellington about the long tail of psychological impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has left us… Audio
Woman has entire stomach removed after overseas weight loss surgery
"The shifting of blame on to the patient is a big red flag," the surgeon who removed Helen Watson's stomach in NZ says.
