Latest FromMinistry of Health
![<i>Geoff Harper:</i> Country's rest home industry leaves a lot to be desired](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=793)
<i>Geoff Harper:</i> Country's rest home industry leaves a lot to be desired
Geoff Harper asks whether we are warehousing our elderly for profit.
![Cough medicine sales to be restricted](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=793)
Cough medicine sales to be restricted
Sales restrictions on some cough and cold medicines for children will come into force on May 1 next year.
![<i>Gareth Morgan:</i> It's time for medical leaders to step up](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=793)
<i>Gareth Morgan:</i> It's time for medical leaders to step up
Despite our best efforts, the public health system delivers services in an unfair and arbitrary fashion.
![First NZ swine flu death this year](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=793)
First NZ swine flu death this year
A Bay of Plenty woman is believed to be the country's first death from swine flu this year.
![<i>Gareth Morgan:</i> Best treatment goes to the loudest](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=793)
<i>Gareth Morgan:</i> Best treatment goes to the loudest
The way the limited resources of our public health system are allocated across those in need is increasingly ad hoc and unfair.
![NZers descend on Tuvalu for aid exercise](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=793)
NZers descend on Tuvalu for aid exercise
A double-pronged aid effort is getting up a head of steam in Tuvalu this week, as more than 300 New Zealand Defence Force staff descend on the tiny nation north of Fiji and nearly 4000km from New Zealand.
![MP's bill aims for abortion on demand](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=793)
MP's bill aims for abortion on demand
An MP has taken the controversial step of proposing a new law to legalise abortion on request for women up to 24 weeks pregnant.
![Cash injection for Hutt Valley DHB](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=793)
Cash injection for Hutt Valley DHB
The Hutt Valley District Health Board is getting a cash injection of $8.6 million.
![Prison smoking ban to kick in next July](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=793)
Prison smoking ban to kick in next July
Corrections Minister Judith Collins today announced prisoners have 12 months to kick the smoking habit before a total ban comes in.
![Prisons to become smoke-free from next year](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=793)
Prisons to become smoke-free from next year
Department of Corrections bosses found taxpayers could be liable for lawsuits from prison guards exposed to inmates' second-hand smoke.