Health

The midwifery industry has hit back at comments about the state of the sector after what they say are unprecedented attacks over the last few days.

It is hard to tell whether reports of adverse reactions for thyroid drug Eltroxin received by the Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring in Dunedin have reached a plateau or if they are the tip of the iceberg, centre director Dr Michael Tatley says.

Otago District Health Board chief executive Brian Rousseau has concerns over measures aimed at improving the health of Maori in Otago.

People who come to Dunedin Hospital's emergency department often feel guilty about being there but see it as their only option, Dr Anne Worsnop says.

Controversial plans to have a general practitioner centre at Dunedin Hospital's emergency department will be among options to be explored at a meeting between board management and the Ministry of Health this month.

Extra pay for senior doctors cost the the Otago District Health Board $420,000 during the two junior doctors' strikes.

The introduction of the pneumococcal vaccine for babies this month has been badly handled and has not been a "good look" for the health profession, a nurses union representative says.

A new Aids threat is rising in India's numerous call centres, where young staff are increasingly having unprotected sex with multiple partners in affairs developed during night shifts, a top Aids expert has warned.

Grants totalling more than $150,000 have been announced by the Otago Medical Research Foundation, an organisation which distributes money to support local medical research.

Ideas to help relieve the shortage of doctors in New Zealand short-term involving both junior doctors and those with more than a sprinkling of grey hair were suggested in Wellington yesterday.

Greater community collaboration to address the difficulties of attracting health staff to the South was discussed at an Otago-Southland district health boards advisory meeting this week.

Politicians are looking at using an incentive-based system of writing off student loans to encourage young doctors to stay in New Zealand.