The Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio (DTP) vaccine, also known as the three-in-one teenage booster, which is offered to children in Year 9 and above. This booster is the last routine dose that provides young people with long-lasting protection into adulthood
The Meningococcal (Men ACWY) vaccination for children in Year 9 and above which helps protect young people against four types of meningococcal disease which can cause both meningitis and septicaemia
The HPV vaccine, given in school Year 8 which helps protect against cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV)
The MMR vaccination, to provide long-lasting protection against measles, mumps and rubella for all school-aged children who have missed doses.
Clinic will be held on Saturday (12 July) at Whitmore Reans Family Hub, Lansdowne Road, Wolverhampton WV1 4AL, from 9.30am to 2pm and on Monday 21 July at Biz Space, Room 2, Planetary Road WV13 3SW, from 9.30am to 1.30pm. Appointments must be booked in advance by contacting Vaccination UK on 01902 200077.
Councillor Obaida Ahmed, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Community, said: “These vaccines offer the best protection for teenagers as they start their journey into adulthood and start mixing more widely – whether that’s going to college, starting work, travelling or going to festivals.
“So, if your child has missed out on their vaccinations, maybe because they were off school or are home educated, please come along to one of the catch-up clinics being delivered by Vaccination UK over the next couple of weeks.”
The council wants to hear from local residents, people affected by domestic abuse, and professionals from across Wolverhampton to help shape priorities and intentions for the new services to ensure they are effective, accessible and respond to local need.
Domestic abuse specialist support services provide victims of domestic abuse with practical help, advice, and guidance. In Wolverhampton, support is available to women, men, and children who are either living in the community or in accommodation such as a refuge.
The types of support that may be offered can include safe accommodation, support through the criminal justice system, financial, legal, or housing advice, counselling or therapy, and emotional and peer support.
Councillor Obaida Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Community, said: “This is an important piece of work which will help to ensure that Wolverhampton continues to deliver high quality domestic abuse support services.
“By completing a short survey, you can help us develop services that respond to victims of domestic abuse sensitively and effectively and meet the needs of local residents.
“This is a public consultation, and we would welcome responses from as many people as possible, so please take a few moments to have your say.”
First Lady, Mrs. Lordina Dramani Mahama, on Friday, addressed beneficiaries at a comprehensive free public health screening event, emphasising the vital importance of early testing and proactive health management, especially for vulnerable populations within the community.
The event, a collaboration between the Office of the First Lady and the Ghana AIDS Commission, provided essential health services to various community members, including hairdressers, tailors, head-porters (kayayee), and market women.
Addressing the gathering, Mrs. Mahama underscored the purpose of the outreach. “We are here for a very important reason. For the health of our people, especially young people, women, and vulnerable groups in our communities,” she stated. “We aim to raise awareness, offer free check-ups, provide medical advice and counselling, and help more people take care of their health.”
The First Lady said many people may be living with serious health conditions without realising it, making such screening exercises essential.
“Sometimes, people are living with these conditions and do not even know it. That is why today’s health screening is very important,” she explained. “It provides an opportunity to get tested free of charge, know about their health, and take the necessary steps to maintain their health.”
She stressed the life-saving potential of early detection. “Early testing saves lives. Knowing your health status early enables you to start treatment early and prevent serious complications. Testing early can also help us to protect our loved ones.”
“For example, when people living with HIV get to know their status early, they can receive the right care and support, which will make them live long and healthy lives. But this can only happen if you get tested.”
The free health services provided at the event included HIV and syphilis screening, BMI and nutrition counselling, blood pressure checks and assessments for other medical conditions, and breast cancer screening.
Beneficiaries received awareness training on HIV/AIDS preventive measures and the importance of early antenatal care to prevent mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy.
Directing her message towards the younger generation present, the First Lady called for greater health consciousness. “I want to address the young people here directly. You are the future of this country. Your energy, your dreams and your well-being matter,” she said.
“However, many young people today are falling ill, sometimes due to a lack of access to the right information, services, or support they need. That must change. And it starts with talking openly to people who can help you, and by having a medical check at least once a year.”
She encouraged attendees to take full advantage of the services offered free of charge. “Today, you can check your HIV status, your blood pressure and sugar levels, and even be screened for breast cancer, right here at this event, all for free… I therefore encourage you all to take advantage of these services. Feel free to ask any questions that come to mind. We are here for you.”
Mrs. Mahama also highlighted broader government efforts aimed at improving access to and outcomes in healthcare. She mentioned the recently launched Ghana Medical Trust Fund, also known as MahamaCares.
“When this fund is fully operational, it will bring relief to many people suffering from non-communicable diseases,” she noted, adding that it will help diagnose and treat conditions like heart illnesses, kidney disease, and various cancers.
She also referenced the upcoming Free Primary Healthcare Programme, which she said will “enhance awareness of the health status of our citizens and contribute to disease prevention.”
“Together, we can create a Ghana where every person knows their health status. Where every pregnant woman gets the care she needs, and where every child is born healthy and free from infection,” she stated.
Hundreds of years ago, it was common for married couples among the European upper classes to have separate bedrooms. Sleeping separately was a symbol of luxury and status historically reserved for royalty and the very wealthy.
Nowadays, it’s common for married couples and other couples in relationships to sleep in the same bed. But sometimes – for reasons from conflicting schedules to snoring to sleep talking – couples might choose to sleep separately in pursuit of a better night’s sleep.
This is known as “sleep divorce”. Though I prefer the term “sleep separation”, as this doesn’t have to be a permanent arrangement – but more on that later.
So why might couples choose to sleep separately? And what does the evidence say about the effects on sleep quality if you sleep alone versus with a partner?
Why do couples opt for a sleep separation?
Couples may choose to sleep apart if one partner’s sleep is disturbing the other’s, or both are disrupting one another. This can happen for a variety of reasons.
These include waking up frequently in the night, mismatched body clocks (for example, one person coming to bed later than the other), conflicting schedules (for example, shift workers), snoring, twitching legs or sleep talking.
Parents with babies and young children may choose to sleep separately to avoid both partners’ sleep being disturbed.
Those with conflicting preferences for sleeping environments, such as one partner liking a cool room with a fan and the other preferring warmth, may also decide to sleep apart.
What are the benefits of sleeping alone?
Many couples say they prefer to sleep – and sleep better – next to their partner.
But when scientists measure sleep objectively, such as via an electroencephalogram (EEG) to assess brain waves, the data actually shows poorer sleep quality when co-sleeping. So sleeping alone may, in fact, mean better quality and longer sleep.
Research also shows when one member of the couple has a sleep disorder, such as insomnia or sleep apnoea (where breathing is frequently interrupted during sleep), these people often inadvertently wake up their partnerwhen they wake in the night. So sleeping alone could be a good idea if your bed partner has a sleep disorder.
Finally, anyone who has struggled with their sleep will know anxiety around sleep is common. Many clients I have seen who experience insomnia report sleeping alone can alleviate some of their anxiety because at least they know they won’t disturb, or be disturbed by, their partner.
Are there any downsides to separate sleeping arrangements?
Some people dislike sleeping alone, reporting comfort, and feelings of safety and protection when sleeping alongside their partner – and loneliness when they don’t.
Sleeping separately also requires two rooms, or at least two beds. Many couples may not have these options available to them in their home.
Sleeping separately is often stigmatised, with some people seeing it as the death of a couple’s sex life. But while sleeping in separate beds may provide fewer opportunities for sex, this doesn’t necessarily mean the end of intimacy.
Sleeping apart could mean some couples actually have more sex. We know better sleep is linked to more positive feelings about relationships, so it’s possible the desire to be intimate could increase after a good night’s sleep in separate beds. Sleeping apart may even mean some couples have more energy to be intimate.
Nonetheless, if you choose to sleep separately from your partner, it’s important to have an open discussion and prioritise opportunities for connection and intimacy. One client I worked with referred to “visiting rights” where her partner came into her bed for a short period before sleep or in the morning.
Who should potentially consider a sleep separation?
You may wish to think about a “sleep separation” if you are disturbing each other’s sleep, have young children, or have different preferences in terms of temperature, light and noise, which are causing issues.
Ultimately, if sleeping in the same bed is leading to poor sleep then sleeping apart, if it’s possible, could help.
If you can’t sleep separately there may be other ways to reduce disturbance from a partner such as using an eye mask, white noise or earplugs.
If you decide to try a sleep separation, remember this can be a flexible arrangement or “re-set” and doesn’t have to be permanent, or every night. Some couples find sleeping separately during the working week but sharing a bed on the weekend works well for them.
Lastly, it’s important to talk to your GP about any persistent sleep problems, such as snoring, insomnia, or unusual behaviour during sleep (for example, shouting or walking around), as there may be an underlying sleep disorder which needs treating.
Alix Mellor works for the Monash University Healthy Sleep Clinic at the Turner Clinics as a provisional psychologist.
The Government is today announcing the reestablishment of the Health New Zealand Board, with new appointments to drive its priority of ensuring timely, quality healthcare for all New Zealanders, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The re-established Health New Zealand Board will take over from the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners appointed last year to stabilise the organisation and set a clear direction. “Under Professor Lester Levy’s leadership as Commissioner, Health New Zealand has delivered a strong financial plan, and a clear Health Delivery Plan is now in place. He is refocusing the organisation on patients and driving progress on the Government’s health targets, which are seeing waitlists reduced,” Mr Brown says. Professor Levy has been appointed Chair of Health New Zealand for a 12-month term to ensure continuity of leadership. His appointment will maintain momentum on the Government’s health targets and keep the focus firmly on patients. Mr Brown also announced his intention to begin a nomination process later this year for a permanent Chair to take effect from 1 July 2026. “I have also appointed an experienced team of Board members who will support Health New Zealand to deliver for patients, including the appointment of Dr Andrew Connolly as Deputy Chair. Dr Connolly is an experienced surgeon and clinical director who has also held numerous appointments across Governments, including Chair of the Medical Council, Crown Monitor, and Commissioner on District Health Boards. “I am also appointing Hamiora Bowkett as a Crown Observer to keep a close watch on performance and support the Board with independent oversight. This role will focus on supporting the Board’s re-establishment and ensuring Health New Zealand delivers on the Government’s health targets. Mr Bowkett will advise me directly, with a particular focus on Health New Zealand’s financial position and the delivery of health targets.” “We’re also tackling one of the biggest barriers to better care – our ageing health infrastructure – by establishing a dedicated Infrastructure Committee to make sure our Government’s significant investment in health infrastructure delivers modern facilities, on time and on budget. “This is about accountability. Patients care about seeing a doctor sooner, getting their hip surgery faster, being treated in a hospital that works. That’s what these governance changes are designed to achieve.” The key appointments include:
Professor Lester Levy, currently Commissioner of Health New Zealand and Chair of the Health Research Council, has been appointed Chair of the Health New Zealand Board for a 12-month term. Dr Andrew Connolly, a senior surgeon and clinical leader, is appointed Deputy Chair. Board members include Roger Jarrold, Dr Frances Hughes, Parekawhia McLean, Peter McCardle, and Terry Moore. Hamiora Bowkett is appointed as Crown Observer to support and monitor Health New Zealand. A new Infrastructure Committee, chaired by Dr Margaret Wilsher, will oversee the delivery of critical health projects, supported by experienced members: Mark Binns, James Christmas, Sarah Sinclair, Evan Davies, and Roger Jarrold.
“I want to acknowledge the work of Professor Levy as Commissioner, and thank Deputy Commissioners Roger Jarrold, Ken Whelan, and Kylie Clegg for the rapid progress they have made in refocusing Health New Zealand on patients. “There is still much work to do, and I look forward to working with the Health New Zealand Board to deliver for patients, achieve the Government’s health targets, and continue driving progress on the key priorities I announced in March. “These changes ensure we have the right people in the right roles to get it done.” Appointed members will assume their roles on 23 July 2025, when the Commission ends.
Health economists, Māori health experts, and medical practitioners who are members of the New Zealand Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi at Pharmac will strike this week, the first-ever at the agency, after their employer proposed an unacceptable pay offer and an extensive clawback of conditions.
The strike will involve walking off the job on Wednesday 9 July at 10:30am for one hour.
“The team at Pharmac, like many other Government agencies, are constantly being asked to deliver more with less,” PSA National Secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons says.
“Pharmac does essential work getting life-saving medicines to New Zealanders. Workers and their families deserve a fair pay increase and decent conditions of work, not this terrible pay offer and a reduction in their conditions of work.”
The PSA initiated bargaining over a year ago in June 2024, but Pharmac did not bargain until October.
At the bargaining, Pharmac management proposed a number of reductions in terms and conditions of employment, including a service eligibility for step pay progression and only making redundancy available to permanent staff, as well as a pay offer of just 0.2 per cent.
In June this year, the PSA proposed mediation after Pharmac proposed to remove members’ step pay system.
In mediation, Pharmac proposed a number of new reductions in terms and conditions. Most notably, it proposed a reduction in the size of step pay increases in exchange for a one-off ‘buyout’ of the step increase employees would have otherwise received this year.
“The public servants at Pharmac care deeply about serving New Zealanders. All they ask in return is the right pay and conditions so that they can do their jobs effectively,” Fitzsimons says.
Pharmac staff will be picketing outside their office at 40 Mercer Street from 10:30am-11:30am during the industrial action.
The parties are attending mediation with the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment on 16 and 17 July 2025.
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahiis 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.
The Wellington Hospital gynaecology ward that is losing beds to its Emergency Department in a trial, was already short-staffed more than a quarter of all shifts, figures obtained by NZNO show.
It has been revealed that Wellington Hospital iscutting bedsfrom its maternity and gynaecology wards in a trial designed to make more room for patients from its overcrowded Emergency Department (ED).
The New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōputanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) has obtained figures under the Official Information Act showing safe staffing levels identified by the Care Capacity Demand Management (CCDM) programme from January to October last year.
NZNO delegate Michelle Cotton says the figures show the gynaecology ward was already short staffed 27% of all shifts.
“That means there are not enough nurses already for more than a quarter of all shifts.
“NZNO is concerned this trail is aimed at meeting the Coalition Government’s arbitrary and unfunded six-hour wait time target for EDs,” she says.
“This trial is starting after the only gynaecological oncologist at Wellington Hospitalretired and wasn’t replaced. This is partly the cause of empty beds because those women are being treated in Christchurch.
“The trial requires the ante and postnatal services to be reduced from three pods to two. There will be less options for partners to stay and more women will be required to share rooms.
“This trail is putting the health care of women and their newborn babies at risk. They deserve better at this crucial time in their lives,” Michelle Cotton says.
As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.
Released 07/07/2025
The ACT is making significant progress in delivering the ACT Drug Strategy Action Plan 2022-2026 (DSAP), with 27 of the 34 actions being significantly progressed or completed.
The DSAP outlines the ACT Government and whole of sector priorities to address and minimise harms from alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs and non-medical use of pharmaceuticals.
It supports Canberrans by focusing on areas such as improved service navigation, stigma reduction and supports for individuals with co-occurring issues.
As part of the Action Plan, the ACT has become home to Australia’s first fixed-site drug checking service, CanTEST.
The CanTEST service tested nearly 3000 samples in its first two years of operation, helping Canberrans to make safer choices, with one in 10 people choosing to discard potentially dangerous substances after testing.
Significant drug law reforms and criminal justice initiatives have also helped to keep people out of the criminal justice system while ensuring they get the help they may need. The government has expanded the Drug and Alcohol Sentencing List from 35 to 42 concurrent participants and reduced the maximum penalties for personal possession of illicit drugs through the Drugs of Dependence (Personal Use) Amendment Act 2022.
Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith welcomed the DSAP mid-point progress report and noted stable community outcomes and declining drug-related charges, which demonstrates the changes are working for the benefit of our whole community.
“We are also investing across the health sector to improve alcohol and other drug services and facilities in the ACT, with programs like the Pathways to Assistance and Treatment (PAT) mobile clinic, and the Take-Home Naloxone Program, making a real difference to people’s lives,” Minister Stephen-Smith said.
“We are also working with our community partners to deliver specialised services for vulnerable groups in the ACT, including Canberra’s first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander alcohol and other drug residential rehabilitation facility, as well as a new facility for Ted Noffs’ youth alcohol and other drug treatment service.”
The DSAP also aims to reduce vaping and tobacco smoking harms in the ACT. During the life of the Action Plan, the ACT Government has secured a $1.065 million Federation Funding Agreement to enhance Quitline and other smoking and vaping cessation support services.
“Youth vaping remains a major concern in the community, which is why – through our partnership with the Commonwealth – the ACT is enhancing its Quitline service to include digital support options and establishing a new vaping cessation support service for young people,” Minister Stephen-Smith said.
The ACT Government has also funded an independent harm reduction review, led by the Australian National University and Burnet Institute, partnering with the Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation and Advocacy.
The review found that current harm reduction interventions in the ACT are cost effective, with the ACT investing in effective initiatives including opioid maintenance therapy (OMT), needle and syringe programs (NSP), naloxone, and CanTEST.
The review also provided insight into further service development and enhancement opportunities to be considered in the future.
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 7, 2025.
The hard questions NZ must ask about the claimed economic benefits of fast-track mining projects Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Glenn Banks, Professor of Geography, School of People, Environment and Planning, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University Getty Images Much of the debate about the fast-track applications by a number of new or extended mining projects has, understandably, focused on their environmental impacts. But the other
New US directive for visa applicants turns social media feeds into political documents Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Cornell, PhD Candidate in Public Health & Community Medicine, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Angel DiBiblio/Shutterstock In recent weeks, the US State Department implemented a policy requiring all university, technical training, or exchange program visa applicants to disclose their social media handles used over the
Ageing bridges around the world are at risk of collapse. But there’s a simple way to safeguard them Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andy Nguyen, Senior Lecturer in Structural Engineering, University of Southern Queensland The Story Bridge, with its sweeping steel trusses and art deco towers, is a striking sight above the Brisbane River in Queensland. In 2025, it was named the state’s best landmark. But more than an icon,
Much to celebrate as NAIDOC Week turns 50, but also much to learn Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lynette Riley, Co-chair of the National NAIDOC Committee and Professor in the Sydney School of Education and Social Work; and Chair, Aboriginal Education and Indigenous Studies.original Education & Indigenous Studies., University of Sydney Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names and/or images
Just $7 extra per person could prevent 300 suicides a year. Here’s exactly where to spend it Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karinna Saxby, Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne xinlan/Shutterstock Medicare spending on mental health services varies considerably depending on where in Australia you live, our new study shows. We found areas with lower Medicare spending on out-of-hospital mental health
A Māori worldview describes the immune system as a guardian – this could improve public health in Aotearoa NZ Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tama Te Puea Braithwaite-Westoby, Tautoro Māori Engagement Advisor, Malaghan Institute of Medical Research Getty Images In biomedical science, the immune system is described as a cellular defence network that identifies and neutralises threats. In te ao Māori (the Māori worldview), it can be seen as a dynamic
We don’t need deep-sea mining, or its environmental harms. Here’s why Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justin Alger, Associate Professor / Senior Lecturer in Global Environmental Politics, The University of Melbourne Potato-sized polymetallic nodules from the deep sea could be mined for valuable metals and minerals. Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Deep-sea mining promises critical minerals for the energy
‘The customer is always right’: why some uni teachers give higher grades than students deserve Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ciprian N. Radavoi, Associate Professor in Law, University of Southern Queensland Pixels Effect/ Getty Images Grade inflation happens when teachers knowingly give a student a mark higher than deserved. It can also happen indirectly, when the level of difficulty of a course is deliberately lowered so students
The Rainbow Warrior saga. Part 2: Nuclear refugees in the Pacific – the evacuation of Rongelap COMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle On the last voyage of the Rainbow Warrior prior to its sinking by French secret agents in Auckland harbour on 10 July 1985 the ship had evacuated the entire population of 320 from Rongelap in the Marshall Islands. After conducting dozens of above-ground nuclear explosions, the US government had left the
Legends of a Nuclear-Free and Independent Pacific – Octo Mote Pacific Media Watch West Papuan independence advocate Octovianus Mote was in Aotearoa New Zealand late last year seeking support for independence for West Papua, which has been ruled by Indonesia for more than six decades. Mote is vice-president of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) and was hosted in New Zealand by the
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
In the structure Institute of Medicine and Medical Technologies (IMMT) NSU A new laboratory of molecular engineering has been created; it will become the first specialized laboratory beyond the Urals that will comprehensively deal with such promising areas of modern medicine as the cultivation of microorganism cells, the study of virome and metagenomic analysis, and the prediction of protein structure based on the analysis of the data obtained.
In early 2026, after the delivery of the new building of the NSU IMMT, which is part of the second stage of the NSU campus, built within the framework of the national project “Youth and Children”, the laboratory will be located on the premises of the new campus. The creation of the laboratory is part of the strategic project “Center for the Integration of Personalized Biomedicine, Pharmacy and Synchrotron, Binary Technologies”, financed within the framework of Priority 2030 programs.
Currently, the laboratory employs 5 people, including representatives of leading research centers in Novosibirsk and Tomsk. Also, students, postgraduates and graduate students of the Institute of Medicine and Medical Technologies, the Faculty of Natural Sciences and other faculties of NSU will be involved in the work in the laboratory, who, as part of the preparation of their diploma and scientific papers, will participate in the implementation of the laboratory’s projects. The laboratory is headed by Elena Prokopyeva, PhD in Biology, research fellow at the IMMT NSU.
The laboratory is fully focused on solving applied problems facing the modern pharmaceutical industry and biomedicine. First of all, we are talking about the rapid implementation of new methods of pharmaceutical development, expansion of interdisciplinary research, integration of artificial intelligence and big data analysis in biology and medicine; as well as the formation of a modern educational environment for training new generation specialists, including students from different countries.
The main areas of work of the laboratory:
creation and improvement of biotechnological protocols for cultivating prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms in laboratory and industrial bioreactors; creation of innovative methods for identifying and quantitatively analyzing viral particles using accelerator mass spectrometry; study of the diversity, structure and dynamics of viral communities (virosphere) in various ecological niches using modern methods of metagenomics and bioinformatics.
— One of the promising areas for the laboratory is the analysis of viromes (a set of viruses) using metagenomic and bioinformatics analysis in partnership with research institutes of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. This is an advanced area in science. Metagenomic analysis is based on next-generation sequencing methods, which can be used to “read” several sections of different genomes in different samples at the same time. However, today the problem is the analysis of billions of available sequences, the number of which increases exponentially every year. Thus, advanced technologies will speed up the process of identifying new viruses, even based on already available and published metagenomic data, — said Elena Prokopyeva.
The lab plans to use machine learning models to analyze biomedical data, such as genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data, as these methods can effectively identify complex patterns and relationships in large and multidimensional data sets. The use of machine learning in biomedical research opens up new opportunities for deep understanding of biological processes and improving clinical practice.
Another area of the laboratory’s work is education. By the end of 2025, an interactive educational web application will be finalized. HTTP: //histology. HSU.ru, which includes a collection of digital microscope slides on histology, embryology and cytology.
— Thus, this project will create a comprehensive scientific and technical platform that will unite disparate areas (bioreactors, metagenomics, molecular diagnostics, digitalization of education and biomedical developments) into a single ecosystem, increase the efficiency of research and accelerate the introduction of innovations in industry and medicine, — Elena Prokopyeva emphasized.
The industrial and scientific partners of the laboratory are industry leaders — Technoprom LLC, research institutes of the SB RAS (G.I. Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics SB RAS, G.K. Boreskov Institute of Catalysis SB RAS, Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS), FBSI SRC VB Vector of Rospotrebnadzor, Federal Research Center for Fundamental and Translational Medicine (FRC FTM). The laboratory also cooperates with foreign partners, such as Qinghai University and East China Normal University (China), RSE Institute of Genetics and Physiology (Kazakhstan).
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Cornell, PhD Candidate in Public Health & Community Medicine, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney
In recent weeks, the US State Department implemented a policy requiring all university, technical training, or exchange program visa applicants to disclose their social media handles used over the past five years. The policy also requires these applicants to set their profiles to public.
This move is an example of governments treating a person’s digital persona as their political identity. In doing so, they risk punishing lawful expression, targeting minority voices, and redefining who gets to cross borders based on how they behave online.
Anyone seeking one of these visas will have their social media searched for “indications of hostility” towards the citizens, culture or founding principles of the United States. This enhanced vetting is supposed to ensure the US does not admit anyone who may be deemed a threat.
However, this policy changes how a person’s online presence is evaluated in visa applications and raises many ethical concerns. These include concerns around privacy, freedom of expression, and the politicisation of digital identities.
It is unknown exactly which specific online actions will trigger a visa refusal, as the US government hasn’t disclosed detailed criteria. However, guidance to consular officers indicates that digital behaviour suggesting “hostility” toward the US or its values may be grounds for concern.
Internal advice suggests officers are trained to look for social media content that may reflect extremist views, criminal associations or ideological opposition to the US.
Political ‘passport’
In a sense, this policy turns a visa applicant’s online presence into a kind of political passport. It allows for scrutiny not just of past behaviour but also of ideological views.
Digital identity is not just a technical construct. It carries legal, philosophical and historical weight. It can influence access to rights, recognition and legitimacy, both online and offline.
Once this identity is interpreted by state institutions, it can become a tool for control shaped by institutional whims. Governments justify digital surveillance as a way to spot threats. But research consistently shows it leads to overreach.
A recent report found that US social media monitoring programs have frequently flagged activists and religious minorities. It also found the programs lacked transparency and oversight.
Digital freedom nonprofit Electronic Frontier Foundation has warned these tools risk punishing people for lawful expression or for simply being connected to certain communities.
The United Nations has raised concerns about the global trend toward digital vetting at borders, especially when used without judicial oversight or transparency.
A free speech issue
These new checks could have a chilling effect on self-expression. This is particularly true for those with views that don’t align with governments or who are from minority backgrounds.
We’ve seen this previously. After whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed widespread use of data gathering by US intelligence agencies, people stopped visiting politically sensitive Wikipedia articles. Not because they were told to, but because they feared being watched.
This policy won’t just affect visa applicants. It could shift how people use social media in general. That’s because there is no clear rulebook for what counts as “acceptable”. And when no one knows where the line is, people self-censor more than is necessary.
What can you do?
If you think you might apply for an affected visa in the future, here are some tips.
1. Audit your social media history now. Old posts, “likes” or follows from years ago may be reviewed and judged out of context. Review your public posts on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and X. Delete or archive anything that might be misconstrued.
2. Separate personal and professional online identities. Consider keeping distinct accounts for private and public engagement. Use pseudonyms for creative or informal content. Immigration authorities are far less likely to misinterpret context when your online presence is clearly tied to your educational or professional goals.
3. Understand your online visibility and history. Even if you have privacy settings enabled, tagged content, public “likes”, comments and follows can still be seen. Algorithms expose content based on associations, not just what you post. Don’t assume your visibility is limited to your followers.
4. Keep records of any deleted or misinterpreted posts. If you think something might be questioned or if you delete posts ahead of an application, keep a backup. Consular officials may request clarification or evidence. It’s better to be prepared than to be caught off-guard without explanation.
Your social media is no longer a personal space. It may be used by governments to determine whether you fit in.
Samuel Cornell receives funding from an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship.
Daniel Angus receives funding from Australian Research Council through Linkage Project ‘Young Australians and the Promotion of Alcohol on Social Media’. He is a Chief Investigator with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision Making & Society.
T.J. Thomson receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He is an affiliate with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision Making & Society.
Associate Education Minister David Seymour is pleased to see the Healthy School Lunch Programme Term 3 menu has received positive feedback from three quarters of students, and complaints have fallen by 92 per cent, while at the same time taxpayers are saving over $130 million. “The menu for Term 3 is being tested with students across the lower North Island. The result is 73 per cent positive feedback. Any parent knows getting children to like something is no easy task. I’d say if you’re winning 73 per cent of the time, that’s a great result”, Mr Seymour says. Taste testing took place at schools across Taranaki, Palmerston North, Wairarapa, Wellington, Hawke’s Bay, and the Bay of Plenty. In total more than 120 students provided feedback during these sessions, forming the basis for the 73 per cent positive rating. “Since the beginning of Term 1 2025, the Programme has delivered over 13.8 million nutritious meals, to 242,000 students, in 1011 schools,” says Mr Seymour. “This marks the first time a single national supplier has provided meals at such scale, let alone meals which children enjoy, are nutritious, and are delivered on time. We are providing a high-quality service which is affordable for taxpayers. “The Programme has taken on feedback and responded to issues as they arise. For example, in Term 1, students were unhappy with menu variation and meal quality. The variation and quality improved in Term 2, and students say they’ve been enjoying their lunches. “The Programme must also be financially responsible. That’s why we are committed to reducing surplus meals. We are working towards this by ensuring students enjoy the meals and adjusting order volumes to better align with student attendance. “Previously there were issues with meals not arriving on time. The Programme got more trucks, streamlined delivery routes, and heard from principals and schools how they could address concerns. Now they deliver on-time, more than 98 per cent of the time, every day. “Many of the previous issues arose from the use of ‘stop gap’ frozen meals, exacerbated by Libelle’s liquidation. This has been fixed. Equipment was upgraded, and staff numbers increased, to increase meal production and control quality better. Production is now exceeding daily targets, and two million meals are expected to be ready for distribution by the start of Term 3. “Since March, complaints to the Ministry have reduced by 92 per cent. The transparent feedback system has allowed the programme to be responsive and effective at improving processes. “The programme has also already realised taxpayer savings of over $130 million. $8 million of those savings will go to ensuring 10,000 children in early learning services receive a taxpayer funded lunch every day. “When the Government manages its accounts like families and businesses have to, money goes a lot further.”
The Story Bridge, with its sweeping steel trusses and art deco towers, is a striking sight above the Brisbane River in Queensland. In 2025, it was named the state’s best landmark. But more than an icon, it serves as one of the vital arteries of the state capital, carrying more than 100,000 vehicles daily.
But a recent report revealed serious structural issues in the 85-year-old bridge. These included the deterioration of concrete, corrosion and overloading on pedestrian footpaths.
But this example – and far more tragic ones from around the world in recent years – have also sparked a broader conversation about the safety of ageing bridges and other urban infrastructure. A simple, proactive step known as structural health monitoring can help.
A number of collapses
In January 2022, the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States collapsed and injured several people. This collapse was caused by extensive corrosion and the fracturing of a vital steel component. It stemmed from poor maintenance and failure to act on repeated inspection recommendations. These problems were compounded by inadequate inspections and oversight.
Three years earlier, Taiwan’s Nanfang’ao Bridge collapsed. Exposure to damp, salty sea air had severely weakened its suspension cables. Six people beneath the bridge died.
In August 2018, Italy’s Morandi Bridge fell, killing 43 people. The collapse was due to corrosion in pre-stressed concrete and steel tendons. These factors were worsened by inspection and maintenance challenges.
In August 2007, a bridge in the US city of Minneapolis collapsed, killing 13 people and injuring 145. This collapse was primarily due to previously unnoticed problems with the design of the bridge. But it also demonstrated how ageing infrastructure, coupled with increasing loads and ineffective routine visual inspections, can exacerbate inherent weaknesses.
A technology-driven solution
Structural health monitoring is a technology-driven approach to assessing the condition of infrastructure. It can provide near real-time information and enable timely decision-making. This is crucial when it comes to managing ageing structures.
The approach doesn’t rely solely on occasional periodic inspections. Instead it uses sensors, data loggers and analytics platforms to continuously monitor stress, vibration, displacement, temperature and corrosion on critical components.
This approach can significantly improve our understanding of bridge performance compared to traditional assessment models. In one case, it updated a bridge’s estimated fatigue life – the remaining life of the structure before fatigue-induced failure is predicted to occur– from just five years to more than 52 years. This ultimately avoided unnecessary and costly restoration.
The cost of structural health monitoring systems varies by bridge size and the extent of monitoring required. Some simple systems can cost just a few thousand dollars, while more advanced ones can cost more than A$300,000.
These systems require ongoing operational support – typically 10% to 20% of the installation cost annually – for data management, system maintenance, and informed decision-making.
Additionally, while advanced systems can be costly, scalable structural health monitoring solutions allow authorities to start small and expand over time.
A model for proactive management
The design of structural health monitoring systems has been incorporated into new large-scale bridge designs, such as Sutong Bridge in China and Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in the US.
But perhaps the most compelling example of these systems in action is the Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal, Canada.
Opened in 1930, it shares design similarities with Brisbane’s Story Bridge. And, like many ageing structures, it faces its own challenges.
Opened in 1930, the Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal, Canada, shares design similarities with Brisbane’s Story Bridge. Pinkcandy/Shutterstock
However, authorities managing the Jacques Cartier Bridge have embraced a proactive approach through comprehensive structural health monitoring systems. The bridge has been outfitted with more than 300 sensors.
Satellite-based radar imagery adds a remote, non-intrusive layer of deformation monitoring, and advanced data analysis ensures that the vast amounts of sensor data are translated into timely, actionable insights.
Together, these technologies demonstrate how a well-integrated structural-health monitoring system can support proactive maintenance, extend the life of ageing infrastructure – and ultimately improve public safety.
A way forward for Brisbane – and beyond
The Story Bridge’s current challenges are serious, but they also present an opportunity.
By investing in the right structural health monitoring system, Brisbane can lead the way in modern infrastructure management – protecting lives, restoring public confidence, preserving heritage and setting a precedent for cities around the world.
As climate change, urban growth, and ageing assets put increasing pressure on our transport networks, smart monitoring is no longer a luxury – it’s a necessity.
Andy Nguyen receives funding from the Queensland government, through the Advance Queensland fellowship. He is on the executive committee of Australian Network of Structural Health Monitoring.
Leaders of the BRICS nations on Sunday welcomed Indonesia as a full member of the group, along with the inclusion of 10 countries — Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Malaysia, Thailand, Cuba, Vietnam, Uganda, and Uzbekistan — as partner countries.
In a joint declaration issued at the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, the leaders said, “We welcome the Republic of Indonesia as a BRICS member, as well as the Republic of Belarus, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Cuba, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Malaysia, the Kingdom of Thailand, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Republic of Uganda, and the Republic of Uzbekistan as BRICS partner countries.”
The declaration also highlighted key initiatives adopted during the summit, including the BRICS Leaders’ Framework Declaration on Climate Finance, the BRICS Leaders’ Statement on the Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence, and the launch of the BRICS Partnership for the Elimination of Socially Determined Diseases.
During the BRICS session on ‘Peace and Security and Reform of Global Governance,’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised that the expansion demonstrates BRICS’ ability to evolve with changing times. He called for urgent reforms in global institutions such as the United Nations Security Council, the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and Multilateral Development Banks.
“The expansion of BRICS and the inclusion of new partners reflect its ability to evolve with the times. Now, we must demonstrate the same determination to reform institutions like the UN Security Council, the WTO, and Multilateral Development Banks. In the age of AI, where technology evolves every week, it’s unacceptable for global institutions to go eighty years without reform. You can’t run 21st-century software on 20th-century typewriters,” the Prime Minister said.
BRICS was originally established as BRIC after the leaders of Russia, India, China, and Brazil met during the G8 Outreach Summit in 2006. The grouping formalised its cooperation with the first BRIC Summit in Russia in 2009. South Africa joined in 2010, expanding the group to BRICS.
A further expansion took place in 2024 with Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE becoming full members from January 1. Indonesia became a full member in January 2025, while Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan were inducted as BRICS partner countries.
ADVISORY – YORK – Governor Shapiro Announces Full Implementation of Medical Licensure Compacts, Reducing Barriers for Health Care Workers
Governor Shapiro Announces Full Implementation of Medical Licensure Compacts, Reducing Barriers for Health Care Workers
York, PA – Tomorrow, Governor Josh Shapiro will join lawmakers and healthcare providers to announce that Pennsylvania has fully implemented three health care licensure compacts to cut red tape and reduce barriers for qualified, licensed medical professionals.
These compacts will streamline the application process for the more than 300,000 nurses, nearly 65,000 doctors, and more than 17,000 physical therapists currently licensed in Pennsylvania to provide care in multiple states – and allow licensed providers in other states to easily work in the Commonwealth.
WHO: Governor Josh Shapiro Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt Rep. Frank Burns, Chairman of the PA House Professional Licensure Committee Patty Donley, Senior VP & Chief Nursing Executive, Wellspan Health Stephanie Watkins, Senior VP of Advocacy and Policy, Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania Hollis King, Student, Jersey College School of Nursing at Wellspan Health
WHEN: Monday, July 7, 2025, at 11:00 AM
WHERE: Wellspan Education Center 1409 Williams Rd York, PA 17402
LIVE STREAM: pacast.com/live/gov governor.pa.gov/live/
RSVP: Press who are interested in attending must RSVP with the names and phone numbers for each member of their team to ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov.
Please attribute to Acting Senior Sergeant Bernie O’Brien.
Police officers working dedicated area patrols to prevent burglaries in the Horowhenua area last week caught a recidivist offender with help from a quick-thinking caretaker.
On Thursday 3 July the Old Horowhenua Hospital complex was targeted with an offender cutting the main water supply to the site.
The burglary was discovered by workers on Friday morning and the damage repairs were estimated to be around $20,000. A plumber had to be called to reconnect the water supply to the building.
At about 9am on Saturday 5 July police were called to a burglary in progress by a caretaker at the hospital complex.
Police arrived to find a male running through the back fence of the complex. He had fled the premises allegedly leaving a substantial amount of copper piled up in sacks ready to go.
Police made immediate area enquiries and this work encouraged the suspect to report to the station and hand himself in.
Over several months the Old Horowhenua Hospital has been targeted by burglars removing copper pipes from within the buildings and under the floors.
While the site is no longer a hospital it is still the offices for community organisations such as The Horowhenua Learning Centre, and Life to the Max who rely on the building for their daily work.
The burglaries have caused thousands of dollars of damage and cutting and stealing pipe undermines the infrastructure of the building which can lead to further damage.
The offender responsible has been charged with five counts of burglary and will appear in the Levin District Court today.
Police would like to thank the public for their help in locating the person responsible for the burglaries and damage. Their quick thinking alerting police immdiately made all the difference.
We continue to encourage members of the public contact us if you see any suspicious or unlawful behaviour in the community.
Please contact Police on 111 immediately with as much information you can safely gather if an offence is currently in progress.
Information can be reported in non-emergencies or afterwards online at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Make a Report” or call 105.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) joined Congressmen Mike Lawler (R-NY), Seth Moulton (D-MA), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) in calling on Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reverse the decision to discontinue specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth within the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In the bipartisan letter, the congressmen expressed alarm and concern over the plan to terminate the service within the next 30 days, pointing to its proven impact in the form of an average of roughly 2,100 contacts each day as of February 2025. Following the adoption of 24/7 availability in March 2023, there have been over 1.3 million calls, texts, and chats, providing LGBTQ+ youth in need with a safe, reliable, and secure outlet during a moment of crisis.
“To a young person feeling alone and scared, 988 is truly a lifeline,” the congressmen wrote in their letter. “Discontinuing this service would be a dangerous step backward and would send a devastating message to LGBTQ+ young people across the country that their needs are not seen, their lives are not valued, and that support will not be there in their darkest hour. We cannot allow that to happen.”
“Cutting this crisis line is not just a policy decision; it’s a moral failure,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “We have a duty to protect every young person in crisis, and ending this service would abandon LGBTQ+ youth at the exact moment they need us most.”
The bipartisan group concluded their letter by urging HHS to maintain the staffing, infrastructure, and funding necessary to continue this lifesaving service.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)
WASHINGTON – Today, during a House Oversight Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services hearing, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) sharply criticized the Trump administration’s decision to eliminate the dedicated LGBTQ+ youth crisis hotline within the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. In a powerful line of questioning, Congressman Krishnamoorthi warned that removing this lifesaving service, under the banner of eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, was not just misguided; it was cruel.
Early today, Congressman Krishnamoorthi also led a bipartisan letter callingon Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reverse the decision to discontinue specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth within the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
“In the name of expunging DEI, the Trump administration is not only rewriting history, it is actively putting lives at risk,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “There is no more tragic example than the decision to end the LGBTQ+ crisis hotline, which has fielded over 1.3 million calls, texts, and chats since becoming fully operational.”
Citing data from the Trump-era Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Congressman noted that LGBTQ+ youth face suicide risks at rates four times higher than their peers.
When questioned, Republican witnesses claimed to be unaware of both the CDC’s findings and bipartisan support for the hotline.
Congressman Krishnamoorthi also referenced a 2018 statement from Republican Senator Orrin Hatch highlighting the vulnerability of LGBTQ+ youth, as well as a May 2025 bipartisan letter from Republican Representatives Mike Lawler and Young Kim urging the Trump administration to preserve the LGBTQ+ lifeline.
“You don’t dispute that my Republican colleagues said this, do you?” he asked one witness.
“I’m not aware of anything to do with the suicide hotline,” the witness replied.
“And that’s the problem,” the congressman responded. “A lack of awareness. The fact that we are expunging an LGBTQ+ youth suicide hotline in the name of expunging DEI is precisely why this crusade is so dangerous.”
While also addressing Medicaid and SNAP cuts elsewhere in the hearing, Congressman Krishnamoorthi emphasized that eliminating support programs for vulnerable populations, especially under the false pretense of advancing “equality for everybody,” only makes life harder for working families and marginalized communities.
Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s question line is available in full here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) introduced the Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act, bipartisan legislation with the goal of aiding schools in connecting students with the mental health services needed to succeed and thrive. Students and young people continue to face unprecedented mental health challenges inside and outside of school, with pressure and stress impacting Americans across the country. Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s legislation seeks to ensure all students, particularly those in underserved communities and under-resourced school districts, have access to appropriate and timely care. Joining Congressman Krishnamoorthi in introducing this bipartisan bill are Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Congressman Greg Landsman (D-OH), Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY), and Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (D-OR).
“Our school systems are lifelines of support when young people need mental health care and don’t know where to turn,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “Currently, most American school districts are unequipped to support our children, but our Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act will fill in the gaps and connect young people with the mental health services they need. By investing in the mental health of America’s future generations, we are setting all students up for success, regardless of their background or where they live.”
“The youth mental health crisis is one of the defining challenges of our time, and schools cannot tackle it without real support,” Congressman Fitzpatrick said. “The Connecting Students to Mental Health Services Act delivers targeted, high-impact resources—especially for underserved communities—to ensure students get the care they need. As Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force, my priority is to advance solutions like this that strengthen our system and ensure every student has a clear path to support, stability, and success.”
“Getting students better access to mental health resources is so important,” Congressman Landsman said. “As a former teacher and the son of teachers, I’ve seen firsthand what’s happening in our classrooms – and know how much more we can do. Expanding access to care in our schools, especially through telehealth, will give our students what they need to be stronger and healthier. And when it’s easier to connect with professionals to work through what they’re facing, they’re in a much better position to succeed in school and life.”
“Students across the country are facing a growing mental health crisis, and we have a responsibility to ensure they’re not navigating it alone. The Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act will help break down barriers to care, especially for students in rural and underserved communities, by expanding access to telehealth in our schools. I’m proud to join Rep. Krishnamoorthi and our colleagues in delivering resources for our students and schools,” Congressman Lawler said.
“As a mom of four, I know how essential providing mental health services to students is to their success. We need to make sure we are investing in America’s youth, and that starts with making sure they can succeed in the classroom,” Congresswoman Bynum said. “That’s why I’m so proud to introduce the Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act which takes important steps towards providing this vital care to our students in rural and high-poverty areas, ensuring they have the resources they need to thrive now and for generations to come.”
The legislation would support partnerships between public schools and community-based mental health providers by:
Establishing a grant program through the Department of Education to fund school-based mental health coordination initiatives;
Supporting the hiring and training of school mental health professionals and liaisons;
Helping schools create referral pathways to community providers and expand access to tele-mental health options.
The legislation has been endorsed by leading mental health and education organizations, including the School Superintendents Association (AASA), National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of Elementary School Principals, and National Association of Social Workers.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The Northern Territory Police Force are currently investigating a fatal crash that occurred along the Arnhem highway overnight.
Around 9pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received report that a vehicle had rolled on the Arnhem Highway, approximately 40km outbound from the Marrakai turnoff. The vehicle was carrying a 32-year-old male driver, a 14-year-old female and an 8-year-old male.
St John Ambulance, Police and the NT Fire and Rescue Service attended and conducted first aid.
The 8-year-old male was declared deceased at the scene, with the 32-year-old man and 14-year-old female conveyed to Royal Darwin Hospital via CareFlight.
Both currently remain in stable conditions. It is believed the occupants are all family members.
The Major Crash Investigation Unit are investigating and the Arnhem Highway remains closed from the Bark Hut Inn for 11km outbound.
Police advise motorists to avoid the area as delays are expected to remain until midday July 7.
Police urge anyone with information to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference number P25181329.
The lives lost on Territory roads now stands at 22.
In biomedical science, the immune system is described as a cellular defence network that identifies and neutralises threats. In te ao Māori (the Māori worldview), it can be seen as a dynamic system of guardianship, known as te pūnaha awhikiri.
For Māori, wellbeing is relational and interconnected. It encompasses physical, mental, spiritual and environmental health. Within this understanding, we can think about the immune system as a living guardian that protects and regulates an individual’s internal balance and connection to the wider world.
Te pūnaha (system) awhikiri (immunity) expresses how the immune system functions through the lens of mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge), including through concepts such as kaitiakitanga (guardianship), whakapapa (genealogy) and tautika (balance).
The image of a guardian that embraces and protects, and invites empathy and identity, may engage better with people who traditionally have been left out of science and health system discussions.
Framing the immune system through this cultural perspective offers an opportunity to engage Māori communities and to better support public health in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Protecting the land
The immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues and signalling pathways designed to detect and eliminate pathogens. In te ao Māori, this function can be likened to that of a kaitiaki, or guardian, who acts to preserve and protect whenua – which means both land and placenta – and everything in it.
To understand this perspective, it is worth considering several key ideas around the mythological origin, significance and guardianship of land.
In te ao Māori, the universe was formed from Te Kore, a place of potential without form or shape (like the formless void of Greek mythology). From this space, the two major deities of Māori mythology – Ranginui the Sky Father and Papatūānuku the Earth Mother – emerged tightly bound to one another.
Then came Te Pō, a place of darkness in which the deities’ children came into being; foremost among them was Tāne Mahuta who eventually forced his parents apart to reveal Te Ao Mārama, the world of light.
Hence the intermingling of placenta and land, referring to Papatūānuku having begot all life. Land itself becomes a living entity from whence all things come. From Tāne Māhuta we get the first person, Hine-ahu-one, forged from sacred red earth, giving rise to tangata whenua or people of the Earth.
Parallels between immunology and te ao Māori
Taken as a starting point for understanding te ao Māori, te pūnaha awhikiri guards the integrity of the body and its essential life force (mauri). It is imbued with intelligence, memory and purpose, constantly working to sustain balance (tautika) within the body.
There are numerous ways in which we can overlay ideas from mātauranga Māori with the scientific understanding of te pūnaha awhikiri. At its core, the immune system detects foreign agents entering the body, mobilises immune cells to respond appropriately, regulates the strength of response and creates memory of the incursion. These functions map onto concepts in te ao Māori.
Detecting foreign agents is akin to the idea of tauhou, which describes a foreign entity to the body (in terms of a culture or society, a landmass or a person). This term brings to mind the experience of colonisation to Māori people and is associated with the notion of cultural and social institutions displacing tribal authority.
Mobilisation of immune cells reflects the call to action embodied by kaitiaki, people who respond when the need arises to protect their whenua and whānau (family). Often this response may begin with an individual, but that individual can promote an entire whānau, hapū or even iwi to mobilise.
Immunological memory mirrors the ways in which tūpuna (ancestors) pass on inter-generational knowledge to their whānau. This knowledge transfer means people learn lessons from the past, which helps formulate responses for future events or fighting pathogens.
Signal regulation is conceptually similar to how tapu (sacred) and noa (ordinary) regulate the spiritual, social and physical order of things. In te ao Māori, someone may enter a state of tapu (sacredness or spiritual potency) for many reasons, such as to learn sacred knowledge or go to war. However, it is not sustainable to remain in this state for too long and rituals are used to return that person to a state of noa. These rituals are ordained by particular individuals imbued with the correct teachings.
Māori culture values time spent in forests, rivers or coastal areas as a source of wellbeing. Getty Images
Beyond the body
Mātauranga Māori recognises that wellbeing is not just a condition of the body but a state of balance across a network of relationships – between people, land, spirit and ancestors. When these bonds are intact, the system operates with integrity. But when disconnection or trauma occurs, the life force can be diminished, leaving the body and spirit more vulnerable to imbalance and illness.
Te taiao (the natural world) plays a key role for maintaining balance. Time spent in forests, rivers or coastal areas, especially those of ancestral significance, has long been understood in Māori culture to nourish wellbeing. Contemporary science now supports this, showing that immersion in nature can reduce inflammation, lower stress hormones and strengthen immune function.
For Māori, the value is not just physiological; it is spiritual and genealogical. The land is not an external environment. It is kin.
Just as inflammation or infection signals imbalance in Western medicine, in te ao Māori it may indicate a deeper disharmony – one that cannot be resolved without restoring the relationships that sustain life.
Te pūnaha awhikiri responds not only to pathogens or physical threats, but to disconnection, breach of tapu and the lingering effects of cultural trauma. Healing, therefore, is not just a return to physical wellness but a return to relationships. It is an embrace of the people, places and practices that keep us whole.
Te pūnaha awhikiri offers a cultural narrative that unifies numerous strands of mātauranga Māori with science. These ideas affirm Māori ways of knowing, using concepts that reflect inter-connectedness and ancestral insight. They invite understanding of health not as mechanistic, but as a dynamic state of tautika between multiple dimensions.
This opens space for blending Indigenous knowledge and science, supporting inclusive dialogue about different ways of reaching Te Ao Mārama – enlightenment.
Tama Te Puea Braithwaite-Westoby works for the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research. Tama has also recently become an affiliate investigator for the Maurice Wilkins Centre.
In biomedical science, the immune system is described as a cellular defence network that identifies and neutralises threats. In te ao Māori (the Māori worldview), it can be seen as a dynamic system of guardianship, known as te pūnaha awhikiri.
For Māori, wellbeing is relational and interconnected. It encompasses physical, mental, spiritual and environmental health. Within this understanding, we can think about the immune system as a living guardian that protects and regulates an individual’s internal balance and connection to the wider world.
Te pūnaha (system) awhikiri (immunity) expresses how the immune system functions through the lens of mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge), including through concepts such as kaitiakitanga (guardianship), whakapapa (genealogy) and tautika (balance).
The image of a guardian that embraces and protects, and invites empathy and identity, may engage better with people who traditionally have been left out of science and health system discussions.
Framing the immune system through this cultural perspective offers an opportunity to engage Māori communities and to better support public health in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Protecting the land
The immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues and signalling pathways designed to detect and eliminate pathogens. In te ao Māori, this function can be likened to that of a kaitiaki, or guardian, who acts to preserve and protect whenua – which means both land and placenta – and everything in it.
To understand this perspective, it is worth considering several key ideas around the mythological origin, significance and guardianship of land.
In te ao Māori, the universe was formed from Te Kore, a place of potential without form or shape (like the formless void of Greek mythology). From this space, the two major deities of Māori mythology – Ranginui the Sky Father and Papatūānuku the Earth Mother – emerged tightly bound to one another.
Then came Te Pō, a place of darkness in which the deities’ children came into being; foremost among them was Tāne Mahuta who eventually forced his parents apart to reveal Te Ao Mārama, the world of light.
Hence the intermingling of placenta and land, referring to Papatūānuku having begot all life. Land itself becomes a living entity from whence all things come. From Tāne Māhuta we get the first person, Hine-ahu-one, forged from sacred red earth, giving rise to tangata whenua or people of the Earth.
Parallels between immunology and te ao Māori
Taken as a starting point for understanding te ao Māori, te pūnaha awhikiri guards the integrity of the body and its essential life force (mauri). It is imbued with intelligence, memory and purpose, constantly working to sustain balance (tautika) within the body.
There are numerous ways in which we can overlay ideas from mātauranga Māori with the scientific understanding of te pūnaha awhikiri. At its core, the immune system detects foreign agents entering the body, mobilises immune cells to respond appropriately, regulates the strength of response and creates memory of the incursion. These functions map onto concepts in te ao Māori.
Detecting foreign agents is akin to the idea of tauhou, which describes a foreign entity to the body (in terms of a culture or society, a landmass or a person). This term brings to mind the experience of colonisation to Māori people and is associated with the notion of cultural and social institutions displacing tribal authority.
Mobilisation of immune cells reflects the call to action embodied by kaitiaki, people who respond when the need arises to protect their whenua and whānau (family). Often this response may begin with an individual, but that individual can promote an entire whānau, hapū or even iwi to mobilise.
Immunological memory mirrors the ways in which tūpuna (ancestors) pass on inter-generational knowledge to their whānau. This knowledge transfer means people learn lessons from the past, which helps formulate responses for future events or fighting pathogens.
Signal regulation is conceptually similar to how tapu (sacred) and noa (ordinary) regulate the spiritual, social and physical order of things. In te ao Māori, someone may enter a state of tapu (sacredness or spiritual potency) for many reasons, such as to learn sacred knowledge or go to war. However, it is not sustainable to remain in this state for too long and rituals are used to return that person to a state of noa. These rituals are ordained by particular individuals imbued with the correct teachings.
Māori culture values time spent in forests, rivers or coastal areas as a source of wellbeing. Getty Images
Beyond the body
Mātauranga Māori recognises that wellbeing is not just a condition of the body but a state of balance across a network of relationships – between people, land, spirit and ancestors. When these bonds are intact, the system operates with integrity. But when disconnection or trauma occurs, the life force can be diminished, leaving the body and spirit more vulnerable to imbalance and illness.
Te taiao (the natural world) plays a key role for maintaining balance. Time spent in forests, rivers or coastal areas, especially those of ancestral significance, has long been understood in Māori culture to nourish wellbeing. Contemporary science now supports this, showing that immersion in nature can reduce inflammation, lower stress hormones and strengthen immune function.
For Māori, the value is not just physiological; it is spiritual and genealogical. The land is not an external environment. It is kin.
Just as inflammation or infection signals imbalance in Western medicine, in te ao Māori it may indicate a deeper disharmony – one that cannot be resolved without restoring the relationships that sustain life.
Te pūnaha awhikiri responds not only to pathogens or physical threats, but to disconnection, breach of tapu and the lingering effects of cultural trauma. Healing, therefore, is not just a return to physical wellness but a return to relationships. It is an embrace of the people, places and practices that keep us whole.
Te pūnaha awhikiri offers a cultural narrative that unifies numerous strands of mātauranga Māori with science. These ideas affirm Māori ways of knowing, using concepts that reflect inter-connectedness and ancestral insight. They invite understanding of health not as mechanistic, but as a dynamic state of tautika between multiple dimensions.
This opens space for blending Indigenous knowledge and science, supporting inclusive dialogue about different ways of reaching Te Ao Mārama – enlightenment.
Tama Te Puea Braithwaite-Westoby works for the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research. Tama has also recently become an affiliate investigator for the Maurice Wilkins Centre.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karinna Saxby, Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne
Medicare spending on mental health services varies considerably depending on where in Australia you live, our new study shows.
We found areas with lower Medicare spending on out-of-hospital mental health services had poorer mental health outcomes, including more suicides.
This variation across the country was mostly related to factors such as a shortage of mental health providers and GPs, rather than people in some regions being in poorer mental health in the first place.
We also looked at how much extra government funding in today’s money would make a difference to people’s mental health across the population, using the latestdata.
We worked out increasing government spending on out-of-hospital mental health services by A$153 million a year – about $7.30 per adult per year – could lead to:
28,151 fewer mental health emergency department visits (a 10% reduction)
1,954 fewer hospitalisations due to self-harm (a 20% reduction)
313 fewer suicides (a 10% reduction).
Here’s where our research suggests it’s best to target this extra funding.
What we did
We looked at Medicare-funded out-of-hospital mental health services, such as GP mental health visits, as well as visits to psychologists and psychiatrists. For the purposes of this article, we’ll call these Medicare-funded mental health services.
We also looked at mental health prescriptions (such as for depression or anxiety).
We looked at these services and prescriptions for the entire Australian population from 2011 to 2019.
We followed adults as they moved between regions to see how their use of mental health services and prescriptions changed after the move. This meant we could account for underlying individual factors, such as someone’s mental health needs.
Our study allowed us to assess how differences in the availability of mental health care across regions impacted how much the government spends on mental health services and prescriptions, and how this links to people’s mental health outcomes.
What we found
We found that only 28% of variation in spending on mental health services across regions was driven by patient-related factors, such as their need for mental health care. The rest was due to geographical reasons, such as availability of mental health providers and GPs.
But about 81% of the regional variation in spending on mental health scripts was due to patient factors.
In other words, when people experience mental health distress, accessing mental health medications, largely provided by a GP, is much easier than accessing care from a psychiatrist or a psychologist.
Areas with lower spending on out-of-hospital mental health services had higher rates of mental health-related emergency department visits, hospitalisations for self-harm, and suicides.
We mapped access to mental health services
We also compared funding for people with the same “need” for mental health services across different regions. This was from the best access (the most funding) at 100% down to 0% (no access).
After controlling for factors such as socioeconomic background and underlying mental health-care need, the region with the best access was the Gold Coast, with the highest Medicare spending on out-of-hospital mental health services.
The regions with the worst access were western Queensland and the Northern Territory. Here, a person with similar mental health-care needs would receive about 50% less in mental health service spending compared to someone on the Gold Coast.
Our results suggest there is unmet need for mental health services across the board. But some regions are more affected than others.
So we should target extra funding to rural and low-income regions – particularly when considering expanding access to psychologists and psychiatrists.
Recent policy initiatives have tried to improve access to GPs. This includes creating financial incentives for providers to bulk bill and to practise in underserved regions.
However, these policies have had little or modest effects on boosting access to GPs. There has also been much less focus on attracting more specialty mental health providers, such as psychologists or psychiatrists, to underserved areas.
To address the disparities and unmet needs in mental health care, we recommend:
expanding the mental health workforce: implementing targeted incentives to attract and retain psychologists, psychiatrists, and mental health-trained GPs in underserved areas
reforming funding models: adjusting funding allocations and incentives to target regions where there is significant unmet need. Our map shows which regions should be targeted first
improving access to digital mental health services: using technology to provide accessible mental health support, particularly in areas with limited in-person services, while ensuring digital solutions are integrated with traditional care pathways.
If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Karinna Saxby receives funding from the University of Melbourne McKenzie Fellowship.
Dennis Petrie receives funding from National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), Australian Research Council (ARC), Transport Accident Commission (TAC), National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), Department of Health, Disability and Aged Care, Department of Social Services (DSS), Breast Cancer Trials and WISE (Employment Service Provider).
Sonja de New receives funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC) and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
The Story Bridge, with its sweeping steel trusses and art deco towers, is a striking sight above the Brisbane River in Queensland. In 2025, it was named the state’s best landmark. But more than an icon, it serves as one of the vital arteries of the state capital, carrying more than 100,000 vehicles daily.
But a recent report revealed serious structural issues in the 85-year-old bridge. These included the deterioration of concrete, corrosion and overloading on pedestrian footpaths.
But this example – and far more tragic ones from around the world in recent years – have also sparked a broader conversation about the safety of ageing bridges and other urban infrastructure. A simple, proactive step known as structural health monitoring can help.
A number of collapses
In January 2022, the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States collapsed and injured several people. This collapse was caused by extensive corrosion and the fracturing of a vital steel component. It stemmed from poor maintenance and failure to act on repeated inspection recommendations. These problems were compounded by inadequate inspections and oversight.
Three years earlier, Taiwan’s Nanfang’ao Bridge collapsed. Exposure to damp, salty sea air had severely weakened its suspension cables. Six people beneath the bridge died.
In August 2018, Italy’s Morandi Bridge fell, killing 43 people. The collapse was due to corrosion in pre-stressed concrete and steel tendons. These factors were worsened by inspection and maintenance challenges.
In August 2007, a bridge in the US city of Minneapolis collapsed, killing 13 people and injuring 145. This collapse was primarily due to previously unnoticed problems with the design of the bridge. But it also demonstrated how ageing infrastructure, coupled with increasing loads and ineffective routine visual inspections, can exacerbate inherent weaknesses.
A technology-driven solution
Structural health monitoring is a technology-driven approach to assessing the condition of infrastructure. It can provide near real-time information and enable timely decision-making. This is crucial when it comes to managing ageing structures.
The approach doesn’t rely solely on occasional periodic inspections. Instead it uses sensors, data loggers and analytics platforms to continuously monitor stress, vibration, displacement, temperature and corrosion on critical components.
This approach can significantly improve our understanding of bridge performance compared to traditional assessment models. In one case, it updated a bridge’s estimated fatigue life – the remaining life of the structure before fatigue-induced failure is predicted to occur– from just five years to more than 52 years. This ultimately avoided unnecessary and costly restoration.
The cost of structural health monitoring systems varies by bridge size and the extent of monitoring required. Some simple systems can cost just a few thousand dollars, while more advanced ones can cost more than A$300,000.
These systems require ongoing operational support – typically 10% to 20% of the installation cost annually – for data management, system maintenance, and informed decision-making.
Additionally, while advanced systems can be costly, scalable structural health monitoring solutions allow authorities to start small and expand over time.
A model for proactive management
The design of structural health monitoring systems has been incorporated into new large-scale bridge designs, such as Sutong Bridge in China and Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in the US.
But perhaps the most compelling example of these systems in action is the Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal, Canada.
Opened in 1930, it shares design similarities with Brisbane’s Story Bridge. And, like many ageing structures, it faces its own challenges.
Opened in 1930, the Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal, Canada, shares design similarities with Brisbane’s Story Bridge. Pinkcandy/Shutterstock
However, authorities managing the Jacques Cartier Bridge have embraced a proactive approach through comprehensive structural health monitoring systems. The bridge has been outfitted with more than 300 sensors.
Satellite-based radar imagery adds a remote, non-intrusive layer of deformation monitoring, and advanced data analysis ensures that the vast amounts of sensor data are translated into timely, actionable insights.
Together, these technologies demonstrate how a well-integrated structural-health monitoring system can support proactive maintenance, extend the life of ageing infrastructure – and ultimately improve public safety.
A way forward for Brisbane – and beyond
The Story Bridge’s current challenges are serious, but they also present an opportunity.
By investing in the right structural health monitoring system, Brisbane can lead the way in modern infrastructure management – protecting lives, restoring public confidence, preserving heritage and setting a precedent for cities around the world.
As climate change, urban growth, and ageing assets put increasing pressure on our transport networks, smart monitoring is no longer a luxury – it’s a necessity.
Andy Nguyen receives funding from the Queensland government, through the Advance Queensland fellowship. He is on the executive committee of Australian Network of Structural Health Monitoring.
Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Lauren S. Hughes, State Policy Director, Farley Health Policy Center; Associate Professor of Family Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
As researchers studying rural health and health policy, we anticipate that these reductions in Medicaid spending, along with changes to the Affordable Care Act, will disproportionately affect the 66 million people living in rural America – nearly 1 in 5 Americans.
People who live in rural areas are more likely to have health insurance through Medicaid and are at greater risk of losing that coverage. We expect that the changes brought about by this new law will lead to a rise in unpaid care that hospitals will have to provide. As a result, small, local hospitals will have to make tough decisions that include changing or eliminating services, laying off staff and delaying the purchase of new equipment. Many rural hospitals will have to reduce their services or possibly close their doors altogether.
Hits to rural health
The budget legislation’s biggest effect on rural America comes from changes to the Medicaid program, which represent the largest federal rollback of health insurance coverage in the U.S. to date.
First, the legislation changes how states can finance their share of the Medicaid program by restricting where funds states use to support their Medicaid programs can come from. This bill limits how states can tax and charge fees to hospitals, managed care organizations and other health care providers, and how they can use such taxes and fees in the future to pay higher rates to providers under Medicaid. These limitations will reduce payments to rural hospitals that depend upon Medicaid to keep their doors open.
Rural hospitals play a crucial role in health care access.
Second, by 2027, states must institute work requirements that demand most Medicaid enrollees work 80 hours per month or be in school at least half time. Arkansas’ brief experiment with work requirements in 2018 demonstrates that rather than boost employment, the policy increases bureaucracy, hindering access to health care benefits for eligible people. States will also now be required to verify Medicaid eligibility every six months versus annually. That change also increases the risk people will lose coverage due to extra red tape.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that work requirements instituted through this legislative package will result in nearly 5 million people losing Medicaid coverage. This will decrease the number of paying patients at rural hospitals and increase the unpaid care hospitals must provide, further damaging their ability to stay open.
Additionally, the bill changes how people qualify for the premium tax credits within the Affordable Care Act Marketplace. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that this change, along with other changes to the ACA such as fewer and shorter enrollment periods and additional requirements for documenting income, will reduce the number of people insured through the ACA Marketplace by about 3 million by 2034. Premium tax credits were expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping millions of Americans obtain coverage who previously struggled to do so. This bill lets these expanded tax credits expire, which with may result in an additional 4.2 million people becoming uninsured.
An insufficient stop-gap
Senators from both sides of the aisle have voiced concerns about the legislative package’s potential effects on the financial stability of rural hospitals and frontier hospitals, which are facilities located in remote areas with fewer than six people per square mile. As a result, the Senate voted to set aside $50 billion over the next five years for a newly created Rural Health Transformation Program.
These funds are to be allocated in two ways. Half will be directly distributed equally to states that submit an application that includes a rural health transformation plan detailing how rural hospitals will improve the delivery and quality of health care. The remainder will be distributed to states in varying amounts through a process that is currently unknown.
While additional funding to support rural health facilities is welcome, how it is distributed and how much is available will be critical. Estimates suggest that rural areas will see a reduction of $155 billion in federal spending over 10 years, with much of that concentrated in 12 states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act and have large proportions of rural residents.
That means $50 billion is not enough to offset cuts to Medicaid and other programs that will reduce funds flowing to rural health facilities.
Rural and frontier hospitals have long faced hardship because of their aging infrastructure, older and sicker patient populations, geographic isolation and greater financial and regulatory burdens. Since 2010, 153 rural hospitals have closed their doors permanently or ceased providing inpatient services. This trend is particularly acute in states that have chosen not to expand Medicaid via the Affordable Care Act, many of which have larger percentages of their residents living in rural areas.
Currently more than half of rural hospitals no longer deliver babies. Rural facilities serve fewer patients than those in more densely populated areas. They also have high fixed costs, and because they serve a high percentage of Medicaid patients, they rely on payments from Medicaid, which tends to pay lower rates than commercial insurance. Because of these pressures, these units will continue to close, forcing women to travel farther to give birth, to deliver before going full term and to deliver outside of traditional hospital settings.
And because hospitals in rural areas serve relatively small populations, they lack negotiating power to obtain fair and adequate payment from private health insurers and affordable equipment and supplies from medical companies. Recruiting and retaining needed physicians and other health care workers is expensive, and acquiring capital to renovate, expand or build new facilities is increasingly out of reach.
Finally, given that rural residents are more likely to have Medicaid than their urban counterparts, the legislation’s cuts to Medicaid will disproportionately reduce the rate at which rural providers and health facilities are paid by Medicaid for services they offer. With many rural hospitals already teetering on closure, this will place already financially fragile hospitals on an accelerated path toward demise.
Far-reaching effects
Rural hospitals are not just sources of local health care. They are also vital economic engines.
Hospital closures result in the loss of local access to health care, causing residents to choose between traveling longer distances to see a doctor or forgoing the services they need.
But hospitals in these regions are also major employers that often pay some of the highest wages in their communities. Their closure can drive a decline in the local tax base, limiting funding available for services such as roads and public schools and making it more difficult to attract and retain businesses that small towns depend on. Declines in rural health care undermine local economies.
Furthermore, the country as a whole relies on rural America for the production of food, fuel and other natural resources. In our view, further weakening rural hospitals may affect not just local economies but the health of the whole U.S. economy.
Lauren S. Hughes has received funding for rural health projects from the Sunflower Foundation, The Colorado Health Foundation, the University of Colorado School of Medicine Rural Program Office, the Caring for Colorado Foundation, and the Zoma Foundation. She currently serves as chair of the Rural Health Redesign Center Organization Board of Directors and is a member of the Rural Primary Care Advisory Council with the Weitzman Institute.
Kevin J. Bennett receives funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the Health Resources and Services Administration and the state of South Carolina. He is currently on the Board of Trustees of the National Rural Health Association as immediate past president.
The BRICS grouping, which brings together major emerging economies, has continued to expand its global footprint, adding new members and partners while outlining ambitious plans to deepen cooperation across sectors under Brazil’s ongoing chairship in 2025.
Originally coined as BRIC by Goldman Sachs in 2001 in its paper The World Needs Better Economic BRICs, the acronym referred to Brazil, Russia, India and China, which the firm projected would occupy larger shares of the global economy in the coming decades. The idea took formal shape in 2006, when the leaders of Russia, India and China met on the sidelines of the G8 Outreach Summit in St. Petersburg. That same year, the first BRIC Foreign Ministers’ meeting was held alongside the UN General Assembly in New York, setting the stage for structured dialogue.
The first BRIC Summit was hosted in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009. The group became BRICS with the inclusion of South Africa in 2010. South Africa formally joined the third BRICS Summit held in Sanya in 2011.
More than a decade later, the bloc witnessed its most significant expansion yet. In January 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates became full members, followed by Indonesia’s entry as a full member in January 2025. Nine other countries — Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan — were inducted as BRICS partner countries this year, underlining the group’s growing influence in the Global South.
Together, the expanded BRICS now represents nearly half of the world’s population, contributes about 40 percent of global GDP, and accounts for roughly a quarter of global trade.
Two pillars of cooperation
BRICS functions through two broad mechanisms: consultations on issues of common interest through summits and ministerial meetings, and practical cooperation through working groups and senior officials in sectors such as trade, finance, health, education, science and technology, agriculture, environment, energy, labour, disaster management, anti-corruption and counter-narcotics efforts.
Business linkages are promoted through the BRICS Business Council and the BRICS Women Business Alliance, while other exchanges span parliamentary forums, conferences and people-to-people initiatives.
India’s 2021 chairship
India last held the chairship in 2021, coinciding with the 15th anniversary of the bloc. Operating under the theme ‘BRICS@15: Intra-BRICS Cooperation for Continuity, Consolidation and Consensus’, India set priorities that focused on multilateral reform, counter-terrorism cooperation, digital tools for Sustainable Development Goals and wider people-to-people engagement.
Over 150 meetings were convened during India’s term, including the Leaders’ Summit held virtually on September 9, 2021, and meetings of Foreign Ministers, National Security Advisers and key sectoral ministers. Several new initiatives were launched, including the first BRICS Digital Health Summit, the first Water Ministers’ Meeting, the adoption of a Counter-Terrorism Action Plan, the launch of the BRICS Alliance for Green Tourism and the signing of an agreement on a BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation.
Brazil takes charge in 2025
Brazil assumed the BRICS chairship on January 1, 2025, under the theme ‘Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance’. Brazil’s agenda focuses on deepening partnerships within the Global South and enhancing social, economic and environmental development across member states.
The priorities for Brazil’s presidency include cooperation on global health, trade, investment and finance, climate change action, governance of artificial intelligence, institutional development and a push for reform of the global peace and security architecture.
Nearly 120 events are planned under Brazil’s chairship this year, signalling the group’s intent to maintain momentum on issues that resonate with emerging economies.
First Lady, Mrs. Lordina Dramani Mahama, on Friday, addressed beneficiaries at a comprehensive free public health screening event, emphasising the vital importance of early testing and proactive health management, especially for vulnerable populations within the community.
The event, a collaboration between the Office of the First Lady and the Ghana AIDS Commission, provided essential health services to various community members, including hairdressers, tailors, head-porters (kayayee), and market women.
Addressing the gathering, Mrs. Mahama underscored the purpose of the outreach. “We are here for a very important reason. For the health of our people, especially young people, women, and vulnerable groups in our communities,” she stated. “We aim to raise awareness, offer free check-ups, provide medical advice and counselling, and help more people take care of their health.”
The First Lady said many people may be living with serious health conditions without realising it, making such screening exercises essential.
“Sometimes, people are living with these conditions and do not even know it. That is why today’s health screening is very important,” she explained. “It provides an opportunity to get tested free of charge, know about their health, and take the necessary steps to maintain their health.”
She stressed the life-saving potential of early detection. “Early testing saves lives. Knowing your health status early enables you to start treatment early and prevent serious complications. Testing early can also help us to protect our loved ones.”
“For example, when people living with HIV get to know their status early, they can receive the right care and support, which will make them live long and healthy lives. But this can only happen if you get tested.”
The free health services provided at the event included HIV and syphilis screening, BMI and nutrition counselling, blood pressure checks and assessments for other medical conditions, and breast cancer screening.
Beneficiaries received awareness training on HIV/AIDS preventive measures and the importance of early antenatal care to prevent mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy.
Directing her message towards the younger generation present, the First Lady called for greater health consciousness. “I want to address the young people here directly. You are the future of this country. Your energy, your dreams and your well-being matter,” she said. “However, many young people today are falling ill, sometimes due to a lack of access to the right information, services, or support they need. That must change. And it starts with talking openly to people who can help you, and by having a medical check at least once a year.”
She encouraged attendees to take full advantage of the services offered free of charge. “Today, you can check your HIV status, your blood pressure and sugar levels, and even be screened for breast cancer, right here at this event, all for free… I therefore encourage you all to take advantage of these services. Feel free to ask any questions that come to mind. We are here for you.”
Mrs. Mahama also highlighted broader government efforts aimed at improving access to and outcomes in healthcare. She mentioned the recently launched Ghana Medical Trust Fund, also known as MahamaCares.
“When this fund is fully operational, it will bring relief to many people suffering from non-communicable diseases,” she noted, adding that it will help diagnose and treat conditions like heart illnesses, kidney disease, and various cancers.
She also referenced the upcoming Free Primary Healthcare Programme, which she said will “enhance awareness of the health status of our citizens and contribute to disease prevention.”
“Together, we can create a Ghana where every person knows their health status. Where every pregnant woman gets the care she needs, and where every child is born healthy and free from infection,” she stated
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.
On the last voyage of the Rainbow Warrior prior to its sinking by French secret agents in Auckland harbour on 10 July 1985 the ship had evacuated the entire population of 320 from Rongelap in the Marshall Islands.
After conducting dozens of above-ground nuclear explosions, the US government had left the population in conditions that suggested the islanders were being used as guinea pigs to gain knowledge of the effects of radiation.
Cancers, birth defects, and genetic damage ripped through the population; their former fisheries and land are contaminated to this day.
Denied adequate support from the US – they turned to Greenpeace with an SOS: help us leave our ancestral homeland; it is killing our people. The Rainbow Warrior answered the call.
Human lab rats or our brothers and sisters? Dr Merrill Eisenbud, a physicist in the US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) famously said in 1956 of the Marshall Islanders: “While it is true that these people do not live, I might say, the way Westerners do, civilised people, it is nevertheless also true that they are more like us than the mice.”
Dr Eisenbud also opined that exposure “would provide valuable information on the effects of radiation on human beings.” That research continues to this day.
A half century of testing nuclear bombs Within a year of dropping nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the US moved part of its test programme to the central Pacific. Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands was used for atmospheric explosions from 1946 with scant regard for the indigenous population.
In 1954, the Castle Bravo test exploded a 15-megaton bomb — one thousand times more deadly than the one dropped on Hiroshima. As a result, the population of Rongelap were exposed to 200 roentgens of radiation, considered life-threatening without medical intervention. And it was.
Part of the Marshall Islands, with Bikini Atoll and Rongelap in the top left. Image: www.solidarity.co.nz
Total US tests equaled more than 7000 Hiroshimas. The Clinton administration released the aptly-named Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Experiments (ACHRE), report in January 1994 in which it acknowledged:
“What followed was a program by the US government — initially the Navy and then the AEC and its successor agencies — to provide medical care for the exposed population, while at the same time trying to learn as much as possible about the long-term biological effects of radiation exposure. The dual purpose of what is now a DOE medical program has led to a view by the Marshallese that they were being used as ‘guinea pigs’ in a ‘radiation experiment’.
This impression was reinforced by the fact that the islanders were deliberately left in place and then evacuated, having been heavily radiated. Three years later they were told it was “safe to return” despite the lead scientist calling Rongelap “by far the most contaminated place in the world”.
Significant compensation paid by the US to the Marshall Islands has proven inadequate given the scale of the contamination. To some degree, the US has also used money to achieve capture of elite interest groups and secure ongoing control of the islands.
Entrusted to the US, the Marshall Islanders were treated like the civilians of Nagasaki The US took the Marshall Islands from Japan in 1944. The only “right” it has to be there was granted by the United Nations which in 1947 established the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, to be administered by the United States.
What followed was an abuse of trust worse than rapists at a state care facility. Using the very powers entrusted to it to protect the Marshallese, the US instead used the islands as a nuclear laboratory — violating both the letter and spirit of international law.
Fellow white-dominated countries like Australia and New Zealand couldn’t have cared less and let the indigenous people be irradiated for decades.
The betrayal of trust by the US was comprehensive and remains so to this day:
Under Article 76 of the UN Charter, all trusteeship agreements carried obligations. The administering power was required to:
Promote the political, economic, social, and educational advancement of the people
Protect the rights and well-being of the inhabitants
Help them advance toward self-government or independence.
Under Article VI, the United States solemnly pledged to “Protect the inhabitants against the loss of their lands and resources.” Very similar to sentiments in New Zealand’s Treaty of Waitangi. Within a few years the Americans were exploding the biggest nuclear bombs in history over the islands.
Within a year of the US assuming trusteeship of the islands, another pillar of international law came into effect: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) — which affirms the inherent dignity and equal rights of all humans. Exposing colonised peoples to extreme radiation for weapons testing is a racist affront to this.
America has a long history of making treaties and fine speeches and then exploiting indigenous peoples. Last year, I had the sobering experience of reading American military historian Peter Cozzens’ The Earth is Weeping, a history of the “Indian wars” for the American West.
The past is not dead: the Marshall Islands are a hive of bases, laboratories and missile testing; Americans are also incredibly busy attacking the population in Gaza today.
Eyes of Fire – the last voyage of the Rainbow Warrior Had the French not sunk the Rainbow Warrior after it reached Auckland from the Rongelap evacuation, it would have led a flotilla to protest nuclear testing at Moruroa in French Polynesia. So the bookends of this article are the abuse of defenceless people in the charge of one nuclear power — the US — and the abuse of New Zealand and the peoples of French Polynesia by another nuclear power — France.
Senator Jeton Anjain (left) of Rongelap and Greenpeace campaign coordinator Steve Sawyer on board the Rainbow Warrior . . . challenging the abuse of defenceless people under the charge of one nuclear power. Image: David Robie/Eyes of Fire
This incredible story, and much more, is the subject of David Robie’s outstanding book Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior, published by Little Island Press, which has been relaunched to mark the 40th anniversary of the French terrorist attack.
A new prologue by former prime minister Helen Clark and a preface by Greenpeace’s Bunny McDiarmid, along with an extensive postscript which bring us up to the present day, underline why the past is not dead; it’s with us right now.
Between them, France and the US have exploded more than 300 nuclear bombs in the Pacific. Few people are told this; few people know this.
Today, a matrix of issues combine — the ongoing effects of nuclear contamination, sea rise imperilling Pacific nations, colonialism still posing immense challenges to people in the Marshall Islands, Kanaky New Caledonia and in many parts of our region.
Unsung heroes Our media never ceases to share the pronouncements of European leaders and news from the US and Europe but the leaders and issues of the Pacific are seldom heard. The heroes of the antinuclear movement should be household names in Australia and New Zealand.
Vanuatu’s great leader Father Walter Lini; Oscar Temaru, Mayor, later President of French Polynesia; Senator Jeton Anjain, Darlene Keju-Johnson and so many others.
Do we know them? Have we heard their voices?
Jobod Silk, climate activist, said in a speech welcoming the Rainbow Warrior III to Majuro earlier this year: “Our crusade for nuclear justice intertwines with our fight against the tides.”
Nuclear-Free and Independent Pacific . . . the Rainbow Warrior taking on board Rongelap islanders ready for their first of four relocation voyages to Mejatto island. Image: David Robie/Eyes of Fire
Former Tuvalu PM Enele Sapoaga castigated Australia for the AUKUS submarine deal which he said “was crafted in secret by former Prime Minister Scott Morrison with no public discussion.”
He challenged the bigger regional powers, particularly Australia and New Zealand, to remember that the existential threat faced by Pacific nations comes first from climate change, and reminded New Zealanders of the commitment to keeping the South Pacific nuclear-free.
Hinamoeura Cross, a Tahitian anti-nuclear activist and politician, said in a 2019 UN speech: “Today, the damage is done. My people are sick. For 30 years we were the mice in France’s laboratory.”
Until we learn their stories and know their names as well as we know those of Marco Rubio or Keir Starmer, we will remain strangers in our own lands.
The Pacific owes them, along with the people of Greenpeace, a huge debt. They put their bodies on the line to stop the aggressors. Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira, killed by the French in 1985, was just one of many victims, one of many heroes.
A great way to honour the sacrifice of those who stood up for justice, who stood for peace and a nuclear-free Pacific, and who honoured our own national identity would be to buy David Robie’s excellent book.
You cannot sink a rainbow.
Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira being welcomed to Rongelap Atoll by a villager in May 1985 barely two months before he was killed by French secret agents during the sabotage of the Rainbow Warrior. Image: David Robie/Eyes of Fire
Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on Sunday distributed appointment letters to newly recruited nursing officers and paramedical staff, and flagged off Ayushman Bharat Registration Vans in the presence of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at an event held at Vigyan Bhawan.
Describing the occasion as momentous, Nadda noted that this is the first time in 15 years that Delhi’s nursing officers and paramedical staff have received appointment letters. He emphasized that this recruitment marks a major step in strengthening Delhi’s healthcare system by inducting a specialized workforce.
Nadda highlighted that Delhi bears one of the highest healthcare burdens in the country, with patients from across India seeking treatment in the capital. He credited the current Delhi government for prioritizing healthcare, improving infrastructure, and effectively implementing flagship schemes such as the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM).
He further said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ayushman Vay Vandana scheme was introduced to provide healthcare access to senior citizens above the age of 70. In Delhi, four lakh Ayushman Cards have been issued so far, including two lakh under the Vay Vandana initiative. Nadda urged stakeholders to work towards the full implementation of PM-ABHIM in Delhi, including the target of establishing 1,100 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) by March 31, 2026.
Reflecting on the evolution of national health policy, Nadda noted that the 1997 Health Policy was focused largely on curative care. In contrast, the National Health Policy 2017, introduced under the Modi government, embraces a philosophy of comprehensive care, with emphasis on preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative healthcare, particularly for the elderly.
He stressed the importance of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in delivering equitable, affordable, and accessible healthcare. Under the government’s preventive healthcare push, extensive screenings have been conducted: 18 crore for hypertension, 17 crore for diabetes, 15 crore for oral cancer, 7.5 crore for breast cancer, and 4.5 crore for cervical cancer. These efforts aim to diagnose diseases early and limit their spread.
Nadda also outlined progress in maternal and child health. He stated that Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are supporting mothers from conception to early childcare, with improved access to regular checkups and immunizations. The Maternal Mortality Ratio has dropped from 130 to 88 per lakh live births, Infant Mortality Rate has declined from 39 to 26, and the Under-Five Mortality Rate has fallen by 42%, significantly higher than the global average of 14%. Neonatal mortality has also declined by 40%, compared to the global rate of 11%. He added that India has also made remarkable progress in reducing TB incidence by 17.7%, more than double the global decline rate of 8.3%, as per the WHO Global TB Report 2024.
On medical education and infrastructure, Nadda said that India had only seven AIIMS until 2014. Today, 20 AIIMS are operational. The number of medical colleges has grown from 387 to 780, and medical seats have increased from 51,000 to 1,18,000, with a target of adding 75,000 more seats in the next five years.
Commending the launch of Ayushman Bharat Registration Vans, Nadda said 70 specially designed vans will soon cover all assembly constituencies in Delhi. Today, 20 of them were flagged off. These vans will assist in collecting data, issuing Ayushman Cards, and registering beneficiaries at their doorsteps, ensuring maximum outreach.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, speaking at the event, stated that four lakh Ayushman Cards have already been distributed in Delhi, including two lakh under the Vay Vandana scheme. A total of 2,258 individuals have received treatment under the Ayushman Arogya Yojana, and 108 Delhi hospitals have been empanelled. She announced that by March 31, 2026, Delhi will establish 1,100 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs using Rs 1,700 crore allocated under PM-ABHIM. Of these, 100 AAMs are ready, 34 have already been inaugurated, and the rest will be launched soon. The government aims to inaugurate 100 AAMs every month, with a goal of 15 in each Assembly constituency and 150 in each parliamentary constituency.
Rekha Gupta also said that every Delhi hospital now hosts a Jan Aushadhi Kendra to provide access to affordable medicines and emphasized her government’s focus on transparency and zero tolerance for corruption in healthcare services.
Following sustained recruitment efforts, the Department of Health and Family Welfare, NCT Delhi, has issued appointment offers to 1,388 Nursing Officers and 41 Paramedical Officers selected through the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB). To date, 1,270 candidates have accepted the offers. As of July 3, 557 Nursing Officers and 20 Paramedical Officials have completed document verification. This recruitment drive aims to significantly reduce the acute shortage of healthcare staff in Delhi’s hospitals, and efforts are ongoing to fill all existing and anticipated vacancies.
To support faster registration and awareness, 70 IEC (Information, Education & Communication) vans are being deployed across all Assembly constituencies in Delhi. Each van will operate for 30 days, equipped with facilities for on-the-spot Ayushman Card registration and outreach campaigns, particularly targeting low-income families and senior citizens.
The ceremony was attended by Delhi government ministers, including Dr. Pankaj Kumar Singh, Ravinder Indraj Singh, and Manjinder Singh Sirsa, along with Members of Parliament Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Praveen Khandelwal, Yogender Chandolia, and Bansuri Swaraj. Senior officials from the Health Ministry and Delhi government were also present at the event.
Eastern Cape provincial government strengthens oversight in flood-affected areas
The Eastern Cape Provincial Government has intensified efforts to coordinate disaster relief and recovery measures following the devastating floods that have impacted the province, particularly in the OR Tambo and Amathole Districts.
In a statement on Friday, the provincial government said a multidisciplinary team led by the Office of the Premier, supported by the Departments of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Human Settlements, Health, Home Affairs, SASSA, and affected local municipalities, has been deployed since the disaster began.
A Provincial Joint Operations Centre (JOC) has been activated to streamline disaster response as well as the Donations Management Team which coordinates humanitarian support, including food, sanitary items, and household necessities.
The provincial government said this team has been actively assessing the functionality, safety, and welfare of residents in temporary shelters across the province, while coordinating and distributing humanitarian aid.
The team is also making significant progress in the resettlement of displaced residents, which is expected to resume once all proper government processes have been followed.
“As of [Friday], the official death toll stands at 103, tragically including 32 school-going children. Out of the 103, there are 50 men and 53 females, 63 are adults and 40 are children.
“The OR Tambo District has the most fatalities with 79 victims, followed by Amathole District with 10, Alfred Nzo district 5, Chris Hani 5, Joe Gqabi 2, and Sarah Baartman District with 2.
“Of the 103 deceased, 98 bodies have been identified and collected, while 5 bodies remain unidentified. The Department of Home Affairs has registered 92 deaths out of the 103,” a statement issued by the provincial government said.
Floodwaters have ravaged over 6 800 households, leaving 4 724 without homes and partially damaging another 2 145 dwellings.
Search and recovery efforts are still underway, while emergency response and relief teams continue their critical work.
The Provincial Government thanked all the stakeholders involved and assured affected communities that comprehensive support services will remain in place until full recovery and stability are achieved.
“The South African National Defence Force and Mercedes-Benz have all joined the collective effort to support flood victims in the OR Tambo and Amathole districts. These key stakeholders have delivered substantial donations of food, clothing, and other essential supplies, reinforced the broader relief operation and demonstrated a strong spirit of solidarity across public and private sectors. Donations have also been received from entities such as Shoprite, Meals on Wheels, AbaThembu Kingdom, and numerous community contributors,” the provincial government said.
COGTA MEC Zolile Williams this week conducted an oversight visit to assess the conditions at all eight of the Community Care Centres (CCCs) accommodating displaced residents in and around OR Tambo District Municipality.
Mayor of OR Tambo District Municipality, Mesuli Ngqondwana, and the Mayor of King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) Local Municipality, Nyaniso Nelani were also there.
Community members shared their appreciation for the support received but also raised concerns about an urgent need for a more durable and dignified housing solutions.
Responding to these concerns, MEC Williams reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restoring dignity and stability for all affected families. He emphasised that municipalities have identified land for the erection of temporary structures as part of broader resettlement plans.
“Suitable land has been identified in both KSD and Mnquma municipalities for the construction of 1 230 Temporary Residential Units (TRUs), with R120 million reprioritised to begin implementation. A further R461 million is needed to meet the full TRU demand.
“The verification of damaged homes is underway in Mnquma and OR Tambo Districts, with Joe Gqabi District having completed the process.
“This critical step aims to determine which families require temporary or permanent housing, ensuring that those displaced or affected by structural damage receive appropriate support and stability as part of the ongoing recovery and resettlement strategy,” the provincial government said.
Additionally, the exercise will further determine households that must be permanently moved as they are situated in flood plans.
Furthermore, key progress milestones for the road to recovery so far includes:
62 burials have been completed; with 9 more planned for this weekend.
1442 individuals received psychosocial support.
760 families have been supported with SASSA food vouchers.
989 smart ID and 96 birth certificate applications have been processed.
Additionally, the provincial government said infrastructure repairs are in motion, with 235 schools, 69 health facilities, and 149 roads and 91 bridges damaged across various districts.
A total of R5.04 billion is the estimated cost to repair damaged infrastructure.
“The collaboration across government and with civil society has been instrumental in responding to this humanitarian crisis. We remain committed to ensuring that displaced families are cared for with dignity and that donations are managed transparently. The province thanks all donors,” the MEC said. – SAnews.gov.za
