The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Source: Whitireia and WelTec

The first graduates of the Bachelor of Nursing Māori Matariki cohort were celebrated at Waiwhetū Marae today, marking an important milestone for Māori nursing education and hauora in Aotearoa.

Initiated by Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa as a study and work model, and delivered through Whitireia and WelTec, the Matariki cohort was created to increase Māori representation in the health workforce and improve outcomes for whānau and communities. The inaugural cohort completed their studies through marae-based wānanga, learning grounded in Te Ao Māori and Te Ao Tapuhi, while staying connected to their whānau and community.

Speaking on behalf of the graduating cohort, Rongomai Luke-Royal reflected on the importance of increasing Māori representation in healthcare and the role the Bachelor of Nursing Māori Matariki cohort has played in creating that pathway. “Māori are often overrepresented as patients in our hospitals yet underrepresented among the clinicians caring for them. We need more Māori nurses not only caring for our people but helping lead and shape healthcare so we can improve outcomes for whānau.”

Rongomai said the programme enabled ākonga from a wide range of backgrounds to pursue nursing while balancing work, whānau and other commitments in a supportive kaupapa Māori environment. “Many of us came into this programme as parents, grandparents, partners and workers. We all had different responsibilities, but we shared the same goal of becoming nurses, and the Bachelor of Nursing Māori Matariki cohort made that possible.”

For many graduates, reaching the finish line represents more than a personal achievement. Rongomai strongly believes that “this degree doesn’t just change our lives. It changes the future of our whānau and what our children and mokopuna will believe is possible. We leave not only with a qualification, but with the opportunity to serve our communities and make a difference.”

Whitireia and WelTec Operations Lead Dr Leanne Ivil said seeing the graduates celebrate their achievement today was a powerful reminder of what can be accomplished when nursing education is shaped around the strengths and aspirations of Māori learners. “The Bachelor of Nursing Māori Matariki cohort is about far more than gaining a qualification. It’s about creating pathways for Māori to succeed as Māori and preparing nurses who will make a lasting difference for whānau and communities.”

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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Source: Health Coalition Aotearoa

Tamariki are paying the price for the decisions leaders are making to prioritise the profits of the food industry over cost-effective healthy food policies, say researchers.

A new benchmarking report finds the coalition government has made virtually no progress on food policies that would reduce non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and obesity among many benefits.

“Our panel of experts found very little has changed to policies that support tamariki to have healthy childhoods and fulfilling lives,” says lead author Dr Sally Mackay from Health Coalition Aotearoa and the University of Auckland.

The food policy benchmarking was carried out by large expert panels prior to elections in 2020 and 2023, with little progress made.

This is despite about 15 percent of years of life annually lost to disability or death in Aotearoa being attributable to obesity and unhealthy diets.

The expert panel used a formal evaluation tool, developed at the University of Auckland and used globally, to assess policies.

One of the worst areas for a lack of progress is junk-food marketing to children.

“I’m really concerned about the amount of marketing that children are exposed to throughout their day,” says Dr Kelly Garton, Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland senior researcher and Health Coalition Aotearoa food spokesperson.

“Studies from the University of Otago, where kids wear cameras throughout the day, found children see 68 unhealthy food ads a day compared with 26 healthy food ads.

This is just one of the policy areas where the panel of around 40 food researchers found little or no progress since the last election.

Meanwhile, new research finds 80 percent of New Zealanders, across the political spectrum, believe politicians should do more to create healthy food environments. See NZMJ, 28 August 2026.

“People across Aotearoa have voiced their concern. But unfortunately, it seems that private corporate interests being promoted within the Beehive are influencing policies in ways that are not in the best interests of the people and do not reflect what they want either,” Garton says.

The top policy recommendations from the panel of food researchers were:

• commitment to, and expansion of, the healthy school lunch programme
• restricting children’s exposure to food marketing
• a sugary drinks levy
• food composition targets, for measures like lowering salt and sugar
• healthy school food policies.

Most of these actions were proposed in 2020 and again in 2023.

The panel is also calling for a new national nutrition survey to inform policy-makers on what Kiwis are currently eating, and for the government to make a more nutritious version of Ka Ora, Ka Ako, Healthy School Lunches, permanently funded, particularly as increasing numbers of children experience material hardship.

Current and future Governments have the ability to level the equity gap for the one in five households with children where food sometimes or often runs out, Health Coalition Aotearoa food spokesperson Sande Mareroa-Gates says.

“Food policies are a powerful tool for improving wellbeing and advancing health equity for all,” Mareroa-Gates says.

“Under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, tino rangatiratanga is the right to self-determination,” she says.

“Whānau not only want to know about the evidence-based food policies in this new report on ‘Food environments in Aotearoa’, it is their right to know.

Health disparities in the likes of diabetes, obesity and cancer, are structural symptoms of food and economic insecurity, says Mareroa-Gates.

“Having access to kai that feeds our minds, nurtures our wairua and is equitable for all. Low-income whānau would prefer the option of affordable healthy kai for their whānau, but their income doesn’t allow them the luxury.

“There is a misconception that whānau who live day-to-day are unable to understand policies. When support is provided, they are actually a lot more articulate and thoughtful about this subject than we give them credit for,” Mareroa-Gates says.

Health Coalition Aotearoa encourages voters to vote for healthy and affordable kai and the policies that underpin better health.

• Read a PHCC Briefing on the Food Environments Policy Index 2026.
• Read a summary of the report: HCA-Food-EPI-2026-FINAL.pdf

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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

MSF warns that reduced funding is collapsing an already fragile health system, overwhelming remaining hospitals.

8 September 2026 – Amidst a brutal ongoing war and a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, people in Sudan face reduced access to healthcare as facilities across the country close their doors as the impact of broad and historic international aid funding cuts by governments begins to take hold.

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warns that this withdrawal of support from an already chronically underfunded crisis is cutting off lifesaving care and pushing the few remaining hospitals to breaking point. As world leaders gather at the UN General Assembly, governments and institutional donors must protect funding for essential health services in Sudan and provide flexible transitional financing where facilities are at risk of closure.

With aid organisations pulling out, local clinics are left without the funds or medicines needed to function. For patients, this means enduring long, dangerous journeys just to receive treatment. As they seek help wherever they can, the few hospitals still operational are absorbing the overflow: between January and April 2026, admissions in MSF supported facilities in Zalingei and Rokero in Central Darfur jumped by 22.5 per cent compared to the same time last year. The situation has deteriorated even further as in May alone 45 general healthcare centres in Central Darfur stopped receiving support as the organisation that had been providing resources lacked funding.

“War is driving Sudan’s needs; funding cuts are shrinking the response,” says Muhammad Ibrahim, MSF Head of Mission in Sudan. “MSF’s work in Sudan is privately funded. But when funding disappears from other health services, clinics close, patients have fewer places to go, and pressure shifts to the facilities that remain, including ours.”

“Donors must protect essential health services and provide sustained, flexible funding to organisations that depend on it,” says Ibrahim.

In Tanedba camp, in Gedaref state, home to 18,400 refugees, the sudden departure of a humanitarian organisation in June resulted in the camp’s maternity and surgical wards closing. Pregnant women who need C-sections now face three-hour journeys to the nearest city. MSF has stepped in to run the emergency room there through the end of 2026.

In 2021, around 35 aid organisations were working in and around Um Rakuba camp in Gedaref state. Today, fewer than 10 remain. The camp now hosts around 17,000 refugees, mostly women and children.

“Our hospital in Um Rakuba is now the only lifeline left for both refugees and the local Sudanese community,” says Fabrizio Locuratolo, MSF Humanitarian Affairs Manager. “But the cuts here go well beyond healthcare. Food rations are shrinking and protection programmes are being dismantled, pulling away the last safety nets and leaving refugees completely exposed.”

After the US government announced the closure of USAID in 2025, the grants to many organisations funded to work in Sudan ended in June this year. Although the US government continues to be the largest donor to Sudan, providing funding to OCHA and other organisations, many of the existing healthcare providers have been unable to find alternative funding to continue providing services, with health facilities closing in Sudan as a result.

Just as health providers faced the impending removal of US support, many European governments also reduced their assistance to people in Sudan. European and multilateral aid budgets are also shrinking globally. OECD[1] preliminary data show that aid from EU institutions fell by 13.8 per cent in 2025, while several major European donors also reduced their overall aid spending. Globally, humanitarian aid fell by 35.8 per cent. These figures do not represent equivalent cuts to Sudan, where some European donors have maintained or increased their support. But they point to a sharply contracting international funding environment. In Sudan, that wider squeeze is compounding an already severe health crisis, as specific funding withdrawals and programme closures reduce access to healthcare.

“Closing a clinic does not remove a single patient. It just sends them to the next facility,” says Sebastián Traficante, MSF emergency coordinator in Darfur. “After a longer and more expensive journey, patients often arrive in a much more serious condition, and the hospital may already be full. MSF can reinforce some services, but we cannot absorb every closure.”

In Central Darfur’s Hamidiya displacement camp, a health centre that previously provided maternity, paediatric, and mental health care is now operating at sharply reduced capacity after an international aid organisation ended its support. Daily patient visits have dropped from 200 to barely 40, and vaccinations have stopped. The fall was not a sign that people had become healthier. They had stopped making the journey to a centre that could no longer treat them. A labourer in Darfur earns roughly US$1[2], a day. The US$2 transport fare to reach a working clinic therefore costs about two days’ wages, leaving residents to choose between healthcare and food. “That money could buy food instead,” a patient told MSF. “If there is no food, there can be no health.”

Despite the presence of around 50 NGOs in Tawila, critical gaps persist for up to 600,000 displaced people. MSF runs the only 200-bed hospital in the area and is the only organisation capable of mounting a large-scale epidemic response. Malaria and malnutrition cases are already rising despite limited rainfall, ahead of the peak of the rainy season – and we expect numbers to increase as the rain intensifies. In August, our teams admitted 191 severely malnourished children under five to our inpatient feeding centre, and nearly 22 per cent also tested positive for malaria.

These closures are happening during a large-scale, severely underfunded humanitarian crisis. The UN reports that 825,000 children under five are expected to suffer severe acute malnutrition and 19.5 million people faced crisis-level hunger earlier this year, meaning families either do not have enough food to eat or can only meet basic food needs by resorting to measures such as selling the assets they depend on to survive. Yet the UN’s $2.87 billion response plan is barely 41 per cent funded, and 37 per cent of Sudan’s health facilities are estimated to be completely out of service.[3]

[1] OECD – Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

[2] https://logcluster.org/sites/default/files/public/2026-03/market-monitor-sudan-report-february-2026.pdf

[3] According to the World Health Organization

MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. Every year more than 120 Australians and New Zealanders go on assignment with Médecins Sans Frontières working as: doctors, midwives, psychologists, laboratory technicians, human resource/finance coordinators, pharmacists, mental health specialists and logisticians. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au.

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Source: Te Hiringa Mahara – Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission

Te Hiringa Mahara welcomes the findings and Government response to the independent review of mental health and addiction telehealth services.

“Telehealth services are an essential part of the full continuum of services that support young people and adults so we are pleased to see such a swift response to the recommendations in the review,” says Te Hiringa Mahara Chief Executive, Karen Orsborn.

“The Minister for Mental Health and Health New Zealand have moved quickly to introduce a raft of changes. This will make an immediate difference to people seeking support and their whānau. We know that the three providers delivering telehealth services will welcome the changes and are committed to building up their services.

“Ensuring highly effective telehealth services are available to people is a cornerstone of a well-functioning continuum of services for people to draw on when it’s most needed.

“There is a lot of work to do to implement the 16 recommendations, and we look forward to seeing concrete plans being put in place to ensure more people can access timely support.

“These services have increasingly become a gateway for people needing to access crisis or specialist services with more than 50 per cent of people accessing crisis services through telehealth services. Of significant concern is the finding that around 50% of people calling these lines do not get through, and many people experience long wait times.

“All three providers are under real pressure to meet the burgeoning demand for telehealth services and respond to a broader range of needs. While all providers are working hard to respond to the increasing number and complexity of callers, the review found that too many people who reach out to mental health and addiction telehealth services are not getting through they have not been designed or funded sufficiently well to do this.

“Telehealth services must have consistent processes for identifying high-risk situations, escalating care and ensuring people are supported beyond the initial contact. We support the findings of the Telehealth Review, for not only services to meet increasing demand and needs, but also for telehealth services to ensure better connection and collaboration across services and with other parts of the mental health and addiction system.

“The endorsement of a pilot to initiate follow-up calls to evaluate the outcome for callers will help inform future developments.

“The Review has set out clear recommendations that Te Hiringa Mahara fully supports.

“We are particularly pleased to see the focus on young people’s telehealth services and the challenge they face responding to demands. Many young callers present with complex and urgent needs. We agree wholeheartedly with the Review’s recommendations that young people need to have different service models that are developed with their input to more effectively meet needs.

“Through Te Hiringa Mahara’s independent monitoring of crisis services in 2025, we found that these services are hard to navigate, fragmented and patchy, which is why we have consistently called for a nationally cohesive crisis response system that includes nationwide access to 24/7 phone-based crisis support.

“As work implementing the recommendations gets underway, we will be paying particular attention to responsiveness of services to the communities that use them. This means delivering services that are culturally appropriate for Māori, Pacific peoples and other priority populations.”

“We will continue to monitor crisis responses as when people are in crisis, they need to be able to rely on an effective mental health response that can respond and escalate as needed. In 2025 we made recommendations to HealthNZ and are monitoring implementation to ensure we see the improvements that are needed,” says Ms Orsborn.

Notes:

See Te Hiringa Mahara’s report defining what is needed to ensure services recognise and respond appropriately: Urupare mōrearea: Crisis responses monitoring report | Te Hiringa Mahara-Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission

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Source: Greenpeace

More than 30 organisations have united behind the upcoming March for Nature in Auckland, where thousands are expected to take to Queen Street in opposition to the Government’s plans to open up public conservation land to commercial exploitation.

The organisations backing the march span unions, environmental charities, scientific societies, ratepayer associations and outdoor recreation groups. They include the PSA, NZEI and Unite Unions, the NZ Botanical Society, Environmental Law Initiative, Mindful Money, and Athletes for Nature.

Greenpeace spokesperson Gen Toop says the breadth of support shows how deeply people across Aotearoa care about nature – and how united they are in opposing the Government’s Conservation Amendment Bill.

“Unions, scientists, environmental groups, outdoor organisations and local communities are united and are coming together to say enough is enough. Public conservation land must remain protected for nature and for future generations.”

“We may come from all walks of life, but we are united by a simple truth: people in Aotearoa care deeply about the ancient forests, wild landscapes and pristine waters of this country and we will stand together to protect them.”

Greenpeace is particularly concerned about proposed section 6A of the Conservation Amendment Bill, which would require the Conservation Act to enable commercial development on conservation land ‘to the greatest extent practicable’.

“No one wants to see ancient trees felled to make way for carparks, or their favourite hunting area turned into an open-cast mine. No one wants to see wild and remote beaches ruined by tacky hotels. But that is the kind of exploitation this Bill could enable,” says Toop.

“We’re talking about some of the most spectacular places in Aotearoa – places like Rangitoto, Cathedral Cove, Mount Taranaki and Milford Sound. These places should be protected for nature, not opened up to greater commercial exploitation.

“This Government may have hoped that by moving fast enough, on enough fronts in its war on nature, people would become overwhelmed and give up. But the opposite is happening.”

“People understand what is at stake. Generations have fought to keep these places wild, for the wildlife that depends on them and for those who come after us. That’s why so many organisations from across society are coming together to march against this Bill.”

Toop says people in Aotearoa have fought a similar battle before – and won.

“In 2010, when the John Key Government proposed opening Schedule 4 conservation land to mining, 40,000 people marched down Queen Street. Faced with overwhelming public opposition, the Government backed down.

“Sixteen years later, we are having to come back to Queen Street to defend these places again. And once again, we are seeing people from all walks of life coming together again to say: hands off conservation land.”

The march – spearheaded by Greenpeace and Forest & Bird – begins at 1pm in Albert Park Auckland on Saturday the 19th of September. More information on the march can be found at marchfornature.nz.

Notes

March for Nature endorsing organisations

• Greenpeace Aotearoa
• Forest and Bird
• Public Servants Association (PSA)
• New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI)
• New Zealand Professional Firefighters’ Union (NZPFU)
• Unite Union Manatōpū
• Environmental Law Initiative
• WWF
• 350 Aotearoa
• Kiwis Against Seabed Mining (KASM)
• Mindful Money
• ActionStation
• NZ Botanical Society
• Athletes for Nature
• Endangered Species Foundation
• Climate Liberation Aotearoa
• Anti-War Aotearoa
• Ngā Haumi
• Environmental and Conservation Organisations (ECO)
• Common Grace Aotearoa
• Zero Waste Aotearoa
• Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki
• Extinction Rebellion
• The Tree Council
• Coalition Against the Fast Track (CAFT)
• Titirangi Residents & Ratepayers
• Protect Our Winters Aotearoa
• Peace Movement Aotearoa
• Ora Taiao: Aotearoa NZ Climate and Health Council
• Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign on Military Spending
• Beautification Trust
• Maui & Hector’s Dolphin Defenders
• Ekos

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Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Health and safety concerns arising from unsafe staffing levels have forced nurses at Gisborne Hospital’s emergency department (ED) to go on strike.

Around 34 Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO members will down tools for an hour from 2.30pm to 3.30pm on Wednesday (9 September).

NZNO delegate and ED nurse Clara Dolman-Tuhou says Gisborne ED has been understaffed since the end of last year and ongoing meetings with management have brought no significant change despite the ED going into code red multiple times.

“Unsafe staffing has significantly increased since then,” she says.

“This is because of severe staff shortages and unreasonable and unmanageable workloads that have made the ED critically unsafe, and led to increased sick leave, burn out and resignations.

“We’re at the point now where staff have had enough.”

Clara Dolman-Tuhou says unsafe staffing puts patients, health workers and the community at risk every day.

“Sustained understaffing and overcrowding in emergency departments could lead to more serious situations like patient deaths and violence against staff by frustrated people waiting longer than they should in ED.”

She says it’s a privilege caring for people when they are at their most vulnerable, and she’s proud of her mahi. However, immense work pressure comes at a cost.

“For me, that cost is my whānau and, most importantly, my child.

“The mental strain, exhaustion and anxiety that my colleagues and I are experiencing is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

“Health care workers cannot continually be expected to absorb the consequences of short staffing, increasing presentations and limited hospital capacity by simply working more hours.

“We cannot keep asking exhausted staff to carry an already overloaded system because eventually, something has to give.”

Gisborne ED staff were also bewildered by an email (seen by NZNO) from management on 9 July that the department was undergoing a staffing rollback which would have reduced nursing staff from 14 to 13 across the three shifts rostered each day.

This was paused following pressure from NZNO.

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Source: ProCare Fresh Minds

8 September 2026

For many New Zealanders, receiving an ADHD diagnosis can bring relief, validation, and a better understanding of years of challenges. But once the assessment is complete and a diagnosis has been made, many are left asking: what happens next?

Recognising the growing need for practical support beyond diagnosis, ProCare Fresh Minds has launched a new ADHD support service. Delivered by experienced clinicians, the service is designed to help people better understand how ADHD affects their lives and develop strategies that help them reach their potential. The service is available both to people with a formal ADHD diagnosis and to those who suspect ADHD may be affecting their daily lives and are seeking practical strategies to better manage everyday challenges.

As ADHD awareness continues to rise, so too does recognition that effective support often requires more than medication alone. While medication remains an important and highly effective tool for many people, behavioural approaches and practical coping strategies can play a critical role in helping people flourish in their daily lives.

Fresh Minds General Manager and Director of Psychological and Behavioural Health, Dr Tania Wilson said the conversation around ADHD is changing.

“For many people, receiving an ADHD diagnosis is an important first step. However, diagnosis alone does not automatically provide the strategies, skills, and support needed to navigate daily challenges and build on personal strengths.”

“We’re seeing growing awareness of ADHD in adults as well as children. The next stage is ensuring people have access to practical support that helps them succeed in the workplace, in relationships, in parenting, and in everyday life,” continues Dr Wilson.

“Understanding ADHD is important, but meaningful change comes from learning how to work with it. Our clinicians help people develop practical strategies that build confidence, support wellbeing, and enable them to thrive in the areas of life that matter most.”

The Fresh Minds ADHD Support service focuses on evidence-informed behavioural strategies and personalised support, helping people better understand how ADHD affects their lives and identify an approach that works for them.

The service recognises that medication can play an important role in ADHD management for many people and may be highly effective when prescribed as part of an individual’s treatment plan. However, behavioural support, coaching, and practical coping strategies can also be important tools in helping people achieve sustainable improvements in wellbeing and functioning.

Fresh Minds’ ADHD support service aims to help individuals:

• Better understand their ADHD and how it affects their daily life
• Develop practical strategies to improve organisation, focus, and time management
• Build confidence and self-awareness
• Strengthen workplace performance and productivity
• Improve relationships and communication
• Create sustainable routines that support wellbeing.

The launch reflects Fresh Minds’ commitment to providing accessible, person-centred mental health and wellbeing services that help people live well and reach their potential.

“ADHD presents challenges, but it can also bring unique strengths, creativity, and ways of thinking,” says Dr Wilson.

“Our goal is to help people better understand themselves, develop effective strategies, and feel empowered to make the most of those strengths.”

Notes

Fresh Minds ADHD Support is available to adults aged 18 years and over throughout New Zealand via in-person and virtual appointments. An ADHD diagnosis is not required to access the ADHD support service.

For more information, visit www.freshminds.co.nz/ADHD

About ProCare Fresh Minds

ProCare Fresh Minds is a leading provider of primary mental health and wellbeing support in Aotearoa New Zealand. Fresh Minds provides psychology support services for individuals in-person and online and in a variety of settings including Fresh Minds centres, schools, workplaces, the community, and in General Practice. Fresh Minds is supported by comprehensive clinical governance, expertise and rigorous systems to ensure the support is of the highest quality. www.freshminds.co.nz

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Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Ahead of the Gisborne Hospital emergency department nurses’ strike on Wednesday, the region’s health workers have freed up their time to share their experiences, concerns, and potential solutions to the health crisis.

Health care workers across Tairāwhiti come together at the House of Breakthrough Church tomorrow (Tuesday) to talk about the challenges they face working in the health care system, and what they need from our elected officials to make positive changes in this election year.

Representatives from the Labour, Green, Te Pāti Māori and Opportunity parties have been confirmed to attend the event. National’s Dana Kirkpatrick is an unfortunate late withdrawal. The MPs and election candidates will listen to community priorities and discuss actions needed to improve health care in the region.

Where: House of Breakthrough, corner of Lytton and Ormond roads, Gisborne

When: from 5.30pm, 8 September 2026

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Source: BusinessNZ

BusinessNZ calls for medicines funding reset after landmark economic analysis finds every dollar invested returns $1.93 to the economy and $1.15 to the Crown

New Zealand is leaving billions of dollars in economic growth on the table by underinvesting in medicines, according to new analysis released today by BusinessNZ.

The BERL report for BusinessNZ, The economic and fiscal effects of an increase in medicines funding, finds that lifting medicines funding to the OECD average would deliver returns that exceed the cost of investment, driven primarily by higher labour force participation, reduced absenteeism and presenteeism, and lower demand on other parts of the health system. That translates into an economic return of $1.93 for every additional dollar invested in medicines funding, and a fiscal return of $1.15 to the Crown.

The economic return builds quickly: BERL finds that benefits to GDP exceed costs within three years. The fiscal return to the Crown accumulates more gradually, with higher tax revenue and reduced pressure on other health services projected to fully offset the cost of the investment within around 20 years.

Alongside these quantified returns, the report notes that improved access to medicines would help New Zealanders live healthier lives for longer, reducing the burden of chronic illness and disability and enabling more people to participate fully in work and daily life.

BusinessNZ Chief Executive Katherine Rich said the findings challenge the traditional view of medicines spending as simply a health cost.

“This report shows medicines funding should be seen as an economic investment, not just a health expense.

“New Zealand has spent years debating the cost of medicines. The wider question is the cost of not funding them.

“Better access to medicines keeps people healthier, in work for longer, and more productive while they are there. It also reduces avoidable pressure on hospitals and other high-cost services. The economic dividend is substantial.”

New Zealand currently allocates just 4.9 percent of health spending to medicines, compared with an OECD average of 13.3 percent. Australia, our closest neighbour, allocates 12.2 percent – more than double New Zealand’s share, though still below the OECD average itself. BERL estimates an additional $2.7 billion in annual investment would be required to reach the OECD benchmark and capture the economic and fiscal gains.

The report also finds New Zealand is lagging significantly behind countries it often compares itself with on access to modern medicines. As of March 2026, 134 applications remained on Pharmac’s Options for Investment list, with an average wait of 6.5 years, while 83 percent were already standard care overseas. New Zealand funded just seven percent of new medicines between 2012 and 2021, compared with an OECD average of 29 percent.

Importantly, the report highlights a paradox in New Zealand’s health profile.

While New Zealanders live about as long as their OECD peers, they spend less of their lives in good health. New Zealand’s healthy life expectancy is below the OECD average, meaning New Zealanders experience more years living with illness, disability and chronic conditions during their working lives.

That gap matters economically.

BERL found improved access to medicines would increase workforce participation, reduce sickness-related absences and, most significantly, reduce “presenteeism” – where people come to work but are less productive because of ill health. These productivity gains form the largest share of the report’s estimated economic benefits.

“Too many New Zealanders are becoming sick earlier, managing chronic illness during their prime working years, or leaving the workforce sooner than they should. That comes at a significant personal and financial cost for individuals and families, limiting earning potential and financial security,” said Ms Rich.

“The encouraging finding from this report is that better access to medicines can help people stay healthier for longer, remain in work, and build stronger futures for themselves, their families and their communities.

“When people are healthier, businesses benefit from a stronger workforce, families enjoy greater financial security, and government revenues improve.”

BERL projects that increased medicines funding would generate a net economic benefit of $182 billion and improve the Government’s operating balance by $29 billion over the next 35 years. By 2062, the economy would be nearly $41 billion larger than under current settings.

The analysis also shows medicines investment can help address mounting pressure on public finances.

While higher medicines funding would increase pharmaceutical spending, it would reduce future demand growth elsewhere in the health system through fewer complications, fewer hospitalisations and better disease management. Excluding the additional medicines expenditure itself, other health spending is projected to be lower than it otherwise would have been.

BusinessNZ said the report arrives as policymakers grapple with how to lift productivity, improve living standards and manage growing healthcare costs from an ageing population.

“The evidence is clear: investing in medicines is not simply about improving health outcomes, although that matters enormously,” Ms Rich said.

“It is also about improving productivity, growing the economy, strengthening public finances and ensuring New Zealanders can remain healthy and economically active for longer.

“If we’re serious about economic growth, medicines funding needs to be part of the conversation.”

Good health was good for business, and good for the economy – which was why BusinessNZ commissioned the report, Ms Rich said.

“A healthier population means more people able to work, participate, care for their families and contribute to their communities. It means fewer days lost to illness and injury, greater productivity and more New Zealanders able to remain independent and economically active for longer.

“Health spending is therefore not simply a cost on the Government’s books. Done well, it is an investment in New Zealand’s people and in our productive capacity.”

The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.

About the report

The report was independently authored by BERL on behalf of BusinessNZ. Financial sponsorship for the research was provided by AbbVie, GSK and Roche. The findings and conclusions are those of the report authors.

Key findings from BERL

1. New Zealand spends 4.9% of health expenditure on medicines versus an OECD average of 13.3%; Australia allocates 12.2%.
2. Matching the OECD average would require approximately $2.7 billion in additional annual investment.
3. Every $1 invested returns $1.93 to the economy and $1.15 to the Crown.
4. The economic return exceeds cost within three years; the fiscal return does so within approximately 20 years.
5. Net economic benefit over 35 years: $182 billion.
6. Net fiscal benefit over 35 years: $29 billion.
7. Economy projected to be nearly $41 billion larger by 2062.
8. New Zealand ranks lowest in the OECD for subsidising new medicines, funding 7% versus an OECD average of 29%.
9. New Zealand’s healthy life expectancy is below the OECD average despite similar life expectancy.

Sources: BERL cost of medicines report

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Source: Asia New Zealand Foundation

7 September 2026

Malaysian sporting icon and eight-time world squash champion Datuk Nicol David will visit New Zealand this week as part of her role at NDO (Nicol Davis Organisation) to share her learnings on how sport can be used to strengthen communities, support young people and create positive social change.

Hosted by the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono, Nicol will be joined by Mariana de Reyes, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of NDO, for a programme of engagements with New Zealand sport, education and community leaders in Auckland and Wellington.

One of the most successful squash players in history, Nicol held the world No. 1 ranking for a record 108 consecutive months, won eight world championships and was named the greatest athlete in World Games history in 2021.

Since retiring from professional sport, Nicol has turned her attention to creating opportunities for the next generation. Established in Kuala Lumpur in 2022, NDO uses sport, education and mental wellbeing initiatives to support children, families and public schools, with its community programmes reaching more than 2,700 people across Malaysia.

Asia New Zealand Foundation Deputy Chief Executive Adele Mason says the visit demonstrates the potential for sport to create connections that extend well beyond competition.

“Nicol is one of Asia’s most accomplished sporting figures, but what is equally inspiring is how she and Mariana are now using that experience to create meaningful change for young people, families and communities.”

“New Zealand and Malaysia have much to learn from each other about how sport can support participation, wellbeing, leadership and stronger communities. Bringing people together in this way creates opportunities to exchange ideas, build trusted relationships and ultimately strengthen New Zealand’s connections with Asia.”

During the visit, Nicol and Mariana will meet organisations working across community and high-performance sport, youth participation and education. Their programme includes engagements with the Blues Charitable Trust, New Zealand Rugby League, Steven Adams Pathway Trust, Warriors, Sport New Zealand, Koru School’s Healthy Active Learning programme and Sport New Zealand. They will also support an event with the Squash Foundation hosted by Dame Susan Devoy.

They will also attend the 2026 Secondary School Sport Conference in Wellington, bringing together school sport leaders from across New Zealand to exchange ideas and explore how sport can better support the next generation of sport leaders.

The visit builds on relationships established through the Foundation’s 2025 Sport Leaders Delegation to Malaysia and Singapore, including a visit by New Zealand delegates to NDO in Kuala Lumpur.

For the Foundation, the exchange is part of a broader effort to connect New Zealand sport leaders with their counterparts across Asia and create lasting professional and people-to-people relationships.

About the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono

Established in 1994, the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono is a leading provider of Asia insights and experiences in New Zealand. Its mission is to equip New Zealanders to excel in Asia by providing research, insights, and targeted opportunities to grow their knowledge, connections and experiences across the region. The Foundation’s activities cover more than 20 countries in Asia and are delivered through eight core programmes: arts, business, entrepreneurship, leadership, media, research, Track II diplomacy, and sports.

About the Sports programme

Our sports programme harnesses the power of sport to build connections between New Zealand and Asia. We do this by helping New Zealand sport leaders deepen their knowledge of Asia and build relationships with their counterparts across the region. The programme offers grants and curated delegations that support sport sector representatives to travel to Asia to learn how sport is delivered in the region and build industry connections. We also provide internships for tertiary students and recent graduates with sport organisations in Asia and bring sport professionals from across the region to New Zealand to share insights with local sport sector audiences.

MIL OSI

Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

7 September 2026

New research exploring how people cope when a family member chooses assisted dying highlights the “roller coaster” of emotions often experienced.

“Family members we interviewed talked about feeling everything from anger, guilt, and sadness through to pride that the person had died on their own terms and relief the suffering was offered,” said lead researcher Dr Jessica Young from the School of Health at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

The study, which involved interviews with 30 family members of people who had sought assisted dying, looked at how families experienced grief in the time leading up to the death and afterwards. Assisted dying became legal in New Zealand on 7 November 2021 under the End of Life Choice Act.

“People who choose assisted dying must decide the date of their death in advance, although they can always change their minds. For family members, knowing there’s a set date can heighten the sense of impending loss. You’re grieving while the person is still alive,” said Dr Young.

However, family members also said that supporting a relative through the assisted dying process could strengthen relationships and helped them make the most of the time left. Many said it gave them a sense they were doing something meaningful for the person.

“Like any death, an assisted death can be an emotionally exhausting experience. There is no “right’ way to feel or respond. People go through a range of emotions and it won’t be exactly the same for everyone,” she said.

One research participant, Margaret Tennant, supported her husband Warwick through assisted dying in 2024 after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The cancer wasn’t found until it was too late to treat.

“I think in our modern age we’re utterly clueless about grief and particularly the grief of losing a close partner,” said Margaret.

Initially, Warwick didn’t think he’d need assisted dying, but as he got sicker and the pain got worse it became clear he would, she said.

“One good thing was that because we had a time and a day, it meant that we were able to be there and focused on him. The worst part came afterwards. There’s something very distinct about the grief that comes with losing a partner. It’s quite different from losing a parent, I found.”

Margaret says she feels grateful Warwick was able to die on his own terms. “Whenever I think about it now, I look back to that sunny day in our bedroom, him in my arms, and there was sunlight and family around the bed.”

Margaret’s story features in a new five-part podcast series produced by the research team. The series explores how the assisted dying process is working and includes interviews with assisted dying researchers and medical practitioners. The podcast can be listened to on Spotify here (https://open.spotify.com/show/033n7UqnswFwvXygVe3UOr).

The team has also produced three written resources, answering questions that people may have about assisted dying. These resources are:

• Thinking it through (https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/assisted-dying/current-projects/thinking-it-through-14-jessica-young-assisted-dying-research-network.pdf): information about assisted dying for adults with terminal illness
• Grieving the chosen death (https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/assisted-dying/current-projects/exploring-the-early-experiences-of-the-assisted-dying-service-in-aotearoa/assisted-dying-grief-support-resource-jessica-young-assisted-dying-research-network.pdf): information for family members about dealing with grief
• Whānau and Māori community assisted dying kōrero guide (https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/assisted-dying/current-projects/whanau-and-maori-community-assisted-dying-korero-guide.pdf).

The podcast and resources have been developed drawing on about 100 interviews with patients, their families, assisted dying providers, other healthcare providers, and Māori community members.

During Dying Matters week (7-13 September 2026), Dr Young and her colleagues will be running a webinar to discuss their research and answer questions about their findings. The webinar takes place 12.30–1.30 pm, 9 September 2026. Details of the event are available here (https://gowithgrace.nz/product/conversations-stories-and-resources-on-assisted-dying/).

Dr Young’s research was funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand.

Notes

In the year to 31 March 2026, Ministry of Health data (https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/2026-07/registrar-assisted-dying-annual-report-minister-health-2026.pdf) show 486 people had an assisted death. To be eligible for assisted dying, a person must be:

• aged 18 years or over
• a citizen or permanent resident of New Zealand
• suffering from a terminal illness that is likely to end their life within six months
• in an advanced state of irreversible decline in physical capability
• experiencing unbearable suffering that cannot be relieved in a manner that the person considers tolerable
• competent to make an informed decision about assisted dying.

MIL OSI

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Source: Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi

Around 250 Nurse Maude support workers will strike again tomorrow and a week later 14 September, after their employer failed to come back with any new proposals following strike action in August.

“Nurse Maude workers are disappointed that their employer still has not put forward a reasonable offer on pay and are cutting two of their sick leave days,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association, Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.

“Nurse Maude is out of step with other publicly funded employers who recognise the importance of sick leave to these workers and provide extra sick leave days.”

Workers first went on strike on 31 July and again on 10 August.

“Nurse Maude needs to bring a fair pay offer and withdraw threats to sick leave. Until then, Nurse Maude workers will continue with strike action.”

The PSA wants to see a resolution to this dispute and has filed for facilitation in the Employment Relations Authority.

Picket information for Monday 7 September

• Nelson 8am – Outside Nurse Maude’s offices (Nayland side of building) 4 Kidson Place, Stoke, Nelson
• Christchurch 8.30am – Corner Papanui Road and Mansfield Ave Merivale (close to Nurse Maude’s Mansfield Ave Premises)
• Hutt Valley 8:30am – Corner of High Street and Daysh Street, Avalon, Lower Hutt
• Mana, Porirua 8:30am – 4 Mana Esplanade, down from the bridge. Near the Little Green Olive Coffee Shop in the container.
• Kapiti 8:30am – Corner of Te Roto Drive and Kapiti Road (neat Bin Inn)

Previous statements

• 9 August Nurse Maude workers strike again over low pay offer and removal of sick leave
• 31 July Nurse Maude support workers to strike over irresponsible sick leave cuts

The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

MIL OSI

Source: Liggins Institute, University of Auckland (UoA)

The Liggins Institute at the University of Auckland has launched a $25 million fundraising campaign to accelerate a new generation of health breakthroughs, building on 25 years of research that has transformed the lives of millions of babies and families worldwide.

‘In our hands: A healthy start for a healthy life’ will support six ambitious ‘moonshots’: ensuring healthy beginnings for every family; delivering personalised nutrition for babies born too soon; giving every child a path to treatment; developing new “living medicines”; nurturing tomorrow’s clinician‑scientists; and building the digital future of healthcare.

The campaign launches with $12 million already committed by philanthropic supporters.

Liggins Institute director Professor Justin O’Sullivan says the campaign builds on a legacy of scientists, clinicians, patients, families, communities and donors working together.

Research pioneered by Professor Sir Graham (‘Mont’) Liggins and by researchers at the Institute has saved millions of babies. Landmark achievements include research that led to steroids being given to women at risk of preterm birth, boosting lung development in their babies, and the ‘sugar babies’ study, which showed that oral dextrose gel can reduce the risk of brain damage in newborns with dangerously low blood sugar.

“These and other developments have revolutionised pregnancy and neonatal care,” says O’Sullivan. “But this campaign is about taking discoveries further – from the laboratory to families and into clinical practice. The treatments we develop matter because they can change the course of a person’s life.”

One of the goals focuses on giving every family the best possible start. Each year, one in 13 babies in New Zealand is born prematurely, affecting around 4,500 whānau. The Liggins‑hosted Carosika Collaborative is working with clinicians nationwide to translate scientific discoveries into world‑leading care and reduce preterm birth rates.

For babies born too soon, the Institute aims to deliver personalised nutrition rather than a one‑size‑fits‑all approach. Researchers are developing non‑invasive biomarkers that could allow clinicians to understand in real time how an individual baby is growing and responding to nutrition. They are also pioneering breast‑milk‑derived cell therapies and investigating whether donor milk retains protective effects after pasteurisation.

Another moonshot aims to give children with genetic and rare diseases a path from diagnosis to treatment. The Institute’s rapid genetic diagnosis programme has achieved success rates of around 70 percent in critically ill children. In one case, identifying a rare mutation directly informed treatment and led to a successful bone‑marrow transplant that cured a child. The ambition now is to move from precision diagnosis to precision treatment, using genomic medicine, artificial intelligence and advanced laboratory science to identify the right therapy as quickly as possible.

The Institute is also developing a new generation of ‘living medicines’ that work with the body’s own biology. Research into the gut microbiome has identified bacteria associated with reduced metabolic syndrome, with researchers now working to develop these strains as probiotic treatments.

Another priority is investing in the people who will deliver future breakthroughs. The Clinical Research Internship Programme introduces medical students to research early in their training, creating a pipeline of clinician‑scientists who can identify important clinical questions and turn them into research.

The final goal looks further ahead, using artificial intelligence and advanced data science to transform healthcare. Researchers are developing AI‑powered digital twins that could allow clinicians to test “what if” scenarios before making real‑world decisions. The first platform will create a digital twin of Starship Children’s Hospital, allowing emergency teams to simulate crises such as earthquakes, pandemics and mass‑casualty events. Researchers are also exploring digital twins of children that combine physiological monitoring, AI and computational modelling to predict illness and guide personalised treatment.

O’Sullivan says the goals are deliberately ambitious.

“We have the opportunity to do something remarkable – to change what is possible for a premature baby, for a child waiting for a diagnosis or treatment, for a family wondering what the future holds, and ultimately, for generations of New Zealanders yet to be born.”

Philanthropic support will help researchers pursue high‑risk, high‑reward ideas, respond rapidly to emerging health challenges, generate evidence needed to secure major funding and translate discoveries into better care, he says.

For further information visit: Liggins Institute

RESEARCH GOALS IN A NUTSHELL

The campaign will drive six major ‘moonshots’ over the next quarter‑century:

• Healthy beginnings: reducing New Zealand’s preterm birth rate through nationwide clinical collaboration and research into climate‑related pregnancy risks.
• Personalised nutrition: developing real‑time biomarkers and breast milk‑derived therapies for babies born too soon.
• Pathways to treatment: expanding rapid genetic diagnosis and moving toward precision therapies for children with rare and complex diseases.
• Living medicines: advancing microbiome‑based treatments targeting metabolic disease.
• Clinician‑scientists: growing a pipeline of medical students trained to turn clinical problems into research breakthroughs.
• Digital healthcare: building AI‑powered digital twins of hospitals and children to simulate crises, predict illness and guide personalised care.

MIL OSI

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

• New and expanded facilities include DHL Supply Chain’s upcoming Pharma Hub 2, DHL Global Forwarding’s Singapore Coldchain Hub, and a dedicated GDP-compliant (Good Distribution Practice-compliant) healthcare space at DHL Express’ South Asia Hub
• The investments position Singapore as a regional hub for temperature-sensitive and high-value healthcare supply chain

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 4 September 2026 – Following the opening of its Pharma Hub last year, DHL Group is further strengthening its Life Sciences and Healthcare (LSHC) capabilities in Singapore through a series of investments that enhance its DHL Health Logistics network and expand its capacity to transport, store and distribute pharmaceuticals, medical devices, clinical trial materials and other healthcare products across Asia Pacific. The investments focus on three pillars: infrastructure, specialist expertise, and strategic partnerships. Together, they help maintain product integrity throughout the healthcare supply chain.

Asia Pacific’s pharmaceutical logistics market is projected to grow from US$163 billion in 2025 to nearly US$239 billion by 2031, driven by rising demand for biologics, vaccines and other temperature-sensitive products that require specialized storage and transportation. As healthcare supply chains become increasingly complex, manufacturers are looking for logistics partners, who can protect product integrity and meet stringent regulatory requirements.

To accede to that demand, DHL is putting new infrastructure across its Express, Global Forwarding and Supply Chain businesses, while continuing to grow its healthcare expertise and build closer ties across the broader logistics ecosystem.

The investments also build on DHL Group’s broader commitment to LSHC and the continued expansion of DHL Health Logistics including the €500 million earmarked for Asia Pacific as part of €2 billion global investment in the sector announced in 2025. The program covers infrastructure and technology across storage, order fulfilment, distribution, global transportation and last-mile delivery.

Infrastructure: Singapore Coldchain Hub, Pharma Hub 2, and dedicated GDP-compliant space at South Asia Hub

DHL Global Forwarding is strengthening Singapore’s role in regional healthcare trade through the DHL Singapore Coldchain Hub, a dedicated healthcare logistics facility that will form part of DHL’s broader Health Logistics Air Freight Network connecting key pharmaceutical and life sciences markets worldwide. By combining global air connectivity with specialized healthcare handling capabilities, the network helps customers move sensitive pharmaceutical and life sciences shipments with greater reliability, visibility and temperature integrity across critical healthcare trade lanes. Together with a pharmaceutical corridor initiative being developed with ecosystem partners, the investment will help create more seamless, compliant and resilient healthcare supply chains across Asia Pacific and key healthcare trade lanes.

Located within Changi’s 24/7 Free Trade Zone at Changi Nexus One, the S$22 million (€15 million) facility will provide 3,047 sqm of GDP-aligned temperature-controlled infrastructure for high-value, time- and temperature-sensitive healthcare cargo, including pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and biologics. With dedicated 2°C to 8°C and 15°C to 25°C handling environments, the facility is designed to support an unbroken cold chain from aircraft to a DHL facility and onward to customers’ warehouses, minimizing temperature excursions and reducing the need for supplementary temperature-control measures and packaging while preserving product integrity throughout transit. The facility is slated for launch in late 2027.

“In healthcare logistics, precision is non-negotiable. A temperature excursion of just a few degrees can compromise the integrity of high-value medicines, biologics and other critical healthcare products. That is why building an end-to-end, unbroken cold chain is essential. Beyond protecting products, it gives healthcare companies the confidence that life-saving therapies can move safely, compliantly, and reliably across increasingly complex global supply chains. By combining specialized infrastructure, direct airside connectivity and dedicated temperature-controlled handling solutions, our new Singapore Coldchain Hub will help minimize product exposure throughout the shipment journey and give customers greater assurance that their products will arrive in the right condition, at the right time, to the patients who depend on them,” added Praveen Gregory, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

DHL Supply Chain is building on the success of the Pharma Hub first launched in Singapore last year with a second pharma hub to further expand its healthcare logistics footprint in the country. The new $S7 million (€5 million) facility will provide additional controlled ambient storage capacity for pharmaceutical and medical device customers, supporting services such as warehousing, distribution, kitting and value-added healthcare logistics operations.

Spanning over 8,000 sqm, the facility is designed as a 100 percent temperature-controlled ambient facility operating at temperatures between 15°C and 25°C with humidity control below 60 percent. The facility will accommodate approximately 7,680 pallet positions and incorporate GDP-compliant and GMP-aligned (Good Manufacturing Practice-aligned) infrastructure, including dedicated redressing rooms to support specialized healthcare logistics requirements. With both pharma hubs, DHL Supply Chain’s total pharmaceutical logistics footprint in Singapore will amount to approximately 16,000 sqm and accommodate around 12,000 pallet positions. It is expected to begin operations by the first half of 2027.

“Capacity on its own isn’t the goal. It’s what that capacity allows our customers to do,” said Eunis Hew, Managing Director, DHL Supply Chain Singapore. “Pharma Hub 2 builds on the strong foundation we have established with Pharma Hub, giving our customers additional room to grow while maintaining the quality and compliance standards their products require. As healthcare supply chains become more sophisticated, purpose-built infrastructure becomes increasingly important.”

DHL Express has installed a GDP-compliant handling and storage space of around 20 sqm at its South Asia Hub at Changi Airport. The controlled ambient room with a temperature range of 15°C to 25 °C allows temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical shipments to move securely through one of the region’s most important air logistics gateways. This also marks the first GDP-compliant healthcare logistics space within a DHL Express facility globally.

GDP-compliant processes help ensure that medicines are handled under appropriate conditions, remain traceable and maintain their quality throughout the distribution journey.

“When it comes to healthcare shipments, every handoff matters,” said Christopher Ong, Managing Director, DHL Express Singapore. “By expanding GDP-compliant handling and storage capabilities within our South Asia Hub, we’re helping customers reduce risk during transit and maintain the integrity of temperature-sensitive products throughout their journey. That reliability is critical especially when those shipments support clinical trials, hospital treatments and patient care.”

People: Building expertise in teams

Infrastructure is only one part of healthcare logistics. DHL is also investing in specialized healthcare logistics expertise across its operations to help ensure temperature-sensitive and regulated products are handled consistently at every stage of the journey. Teams across Express, Global Forwarding and Supply Chain receive ongoing training in areas such as temperature-controlled handling, GDP requirements, quality management and regulatory compliance, supported by DHL’s Certified Life Sciences Specialist program. These programs keep employees up to date with evolving industry standards and equip them with the knowledge needed to support increasingly complex healthcare supply chains.

The company is also growing its pool of healthcare logistics specialists, such as pharmacists, combining operational expertise and industry knowledge to support increasingly stringent supply chain requirements.

Ecosystem and partners: Building stronger healthcare supply chains

DHL is working closely with airlines, airport partners, healthcare manufacturers and logistics providers to strengthen the broader healthcare logistics ecosystem.

One example is DHL Express’ latest partnership with Life Science Incubator (LSI), a life sciences innovation ecosystem partner. Through the collaboration, DHL will give start-ups, SMEs, researchers and healthcare innovators access to specialized logistics capabilities at LSI’s incubator and conduct workshops and training programs covering international trade, supply chain management and cross-border regulatory requirements. By bringing logistics expertise closer to where innovation takes place, DHL aims to help emerging healthcare businesses scale more effectively and navigate global supply chains.

Together with Changi Airport Group (CAG), DHL Global Forwarding is enhancing healthcare trade lanes across Asia Pacific to support the safe and reliable movement of pharmaceuticals, vaccines and other temperature-sensitive products through Singapore. By combining Changi Airport’s extensive global connectivity and airside access with DHL’s global healthcare logistics expertise, dedicated cold-chain capabilities, and expanding Health Logistics network, the Singapore Coldchain Hub collaboration aims to give customers greater consistency, visibility, and confidence across their supply chains.

Collectively, these investments position Singapore as an increasingly important gateway for healthcare and life sciences supply chains in Asia Pacific. Leveraging its specialized infrastructure, skilled teams and strong industry partnerships, DHL is helping customers navigate growing supply chain complexity while maintaining the integrity of critical healthcare products.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

MSF condemns Russia’s strikes on civilian infrastructure and residential areas.

4 September, 2026 – For more than a week, the Russian military has conducted intense missile and drone strikes on Kyiv, Ukraine, and its immediate surroundings, around the clock. Whether targeted or indiscriminate, many attacks have struck residential buildings, medical facilities, and warehouses for pharmaceuticals, food, and other consumer goods — in clear violation of international humanitarian law.

Between 27 August and 3 September, at least 51 people have been killed and nearly 100 injured in the Kyiv region, according to the most recent reports by city and regional authorities.

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) condemns the Russian armed forces’ strikes on civilian infrastructure and residential areas. An MSF physiotherapy team is providing care at one of Kyiv’s largest hospitals, including for a wounded survivor of a recent attack.

Patients need urgent stabilisation

“I saw the ground shaking, I saw my own blood flowing, and I started crawling toward a shelter,” said an MSF patient who was wounded during a recent drone attack on a food warehouse, where he was working, in the village of Pohreby in the Kyiv region.

“I was on my way to a shelter and talking on the phone. I didn’t make it: I looked back and saw something flying toward me, and then I fell,” the patient added. “The tourniquet was applied in time, and I was taken to the hospital. I was worried not for myself, but for my colleagues who were still inside the building.”

The patient sustained a bone fracture in his right leg and a torn tendon in his left, with lacerations from shrapnel across his body. The patient is currently learning to walk with the aid of a walking frame and is also seeing MSF psychologists.

“It is very important to start rehabilitation as soon as possible and get the patient into an upright position,” said Maksym Riabokon, MSF physiotherapy supervisor, “because if a person lies down, they are at risk of muscle atrophy and congestive pneumonia, and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted. Our main task is to make the patient self-sufficient and independent, to give them the tools and help them as soon as they have stabilized and undergone surgery.”

The mental health toll of near-constant attacks

The air raid alerts and explosions, which have become almost constant in Kyiv and the region, are also affecting the psychological condition of patients.

“It’s very draining,” said Lesia Martseniuk, MSF mental health supervisor. “People are trying to carry on with their work, but this sense of exhaustion is very noticeable, and people are getting more and more tired. Especially given that it is currently impossible to get around Kyiv normally: Bridges are being closed, and some metro stations are out of service.

“Patients tell us that their families are experiencing significant levels of stress. School and kindergarten activities are disrupted during alerts, while parents worry about their children and their safety.”

The sleepless nights are punctuated by the sounds of massive explosions, and the non-stop anxiety deeply affects MSF staff and their families in Kyiv. The whole of Kyiv’s society is suffering.

Notes

In July, MSF released the report, No Safe Place to Heal, documenting relentless attacks on healthcare and medical personnel in Ukraine. The findings show these attacks constitute a deliberate strategy to destroy the medical system and collectively punish people — rather than being an incidental product of Russia’s invasion.

MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. Every year more than 120 Australians and New Zealanders go on assignment with Médecins Sans Frontières working as: doctors, midwives, psychologists, laboratory technicians, human resource/finance coordinators, pharmacists, mental health specialists and logisticians. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au.

MIL OSI

Source: I Am Hope

4 September 2026

90 seconds. 630 reasons. A community getting behind our kids.

Aucklanders are being invited to start their Friday with a splash as Spring Plunge 2026 returns to Eastern Beach on Friday, 11 September.

Now in its second year, the Spring Plunge is set to become an annual community event, bringing people together for a 90-second plunge into the cold waters of Eastern Beach to remember the 630 Kiwis lost and stand alongside those who may be silently struggling today.

Among those taking the plunge this year are Simeon Brown, MP for Pakuranga and Minister of Health and Transport, Howick Ward Councillor Bo Burns, and Detective Shaun Winstanley, who will also speak at the event.

Winstanley, 39, has been a police officer for 15 years. In 2023, he was shot in the face at close range by an active shooter in Auckland CBD, in an incident that claimed two lives and seriously injured eight people. He spent four days in a coma and months in intensive care and hospital, followed by years of surgeries, rehabilitation and recovery.

Today, he is a passionate advocate for mental wellbeing and resilience.

“I’ve learnt to be grateful for every minute you get, because it’s not promised. We forget that. The ‘what ifs’ can consume you, but they don’t change what’s happened. You’ve got to focus on what you’ve got in front of you and make the most of it,” Winstanley says.

“People see the amazing job that medical staff have done to repair my face after the shooting, but what they don’t see is what still lies beneath. There are still approximately 30 pellets, metal and scar tissue. To use it as a metaphor, we all have our own pellets in our face. You never really know what someone else is carrying underneath it all.

“That’s why we need to be kind to each other. Check in on people. And be grateful for every minute we get, because none of us are promised the next one.”

I Am Hope crew will be taking part and going into the water alongside the community.

I Am Hope Partnership Manager Richie Barnett says having so many people from across the community involved makes the event particularly powerful.

“It’s incredible to see how many people are getting behind this and willing to get out of bed early, get into freezing water and stand together for something so important,” Barnett says.

“Having community leaders like Shaun, Simeon and Bo there makes it even more special. Everyone is showing up in their own way, but the message is the same — look after each other, start the conversations and don’t be afraid to ask how someone is really doing.”

The event comes as Gumboot Friday, the annual iconic event prepares to return on 6 November to raise awareness and fundraise for free counselling without barriers for all young Kiwis aged 5 to 25.

Spring Plunge organisers are encouraging people to bring their mates, workmates, teams and whānau and take on the challenge together.

Spring Plunge 2026

Date: Friday, 11 September 2026

Location: Eastern Beach, Auckland

Time: Arrive 6:15am | Plunge 6:45am

Activity: 90-second Ocean Plunge

Register for Spring Plunge 2026

Walker Homes is the sponsor of Spring Plunge 2026.

Video and imagery: Spring Plunge video and imagery

GUMBOOT FRIDAY IS NOVEMBER 6

Gumboot Friday gives any young New Zealander aged between 5 & 25 free counselling. If they need help, they can get it. When they need it, before it’s too late. With more than 170,000 counselling sessions since 2019, the good is getting done.

Government support helps pay for the counselling. Community support helps keep Gumboot Friday running, so more kids know where to go when they need help.

On Friday 6 November 2026, we’re giving Gumboot Friday a shot in the arm in the hope it will become New Zealand’s Mental Health Day, when Kiwis will gumboot Up and raise funds for young people to access help when they need it.

For more info visit www.gumbootfriday.com

If you or someone you know is 25 or under and needs someone to talk to, visit www.gumbootfriday.com to book a free counsellor today — no referral needed.

MIL OSI

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.