Posts

Posted on

Advocacy – IWCNZ Urges NZ Government to Act on International Law, End Silence, and Recognise Palestine

Source: Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand (IWCNZ)

It is a universal principle of humanity that all people should be entitled to safety, security, and life. The past two years have shown the world that statements alone are not enough.

The Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand (IWCNZ) calls on the New Zealand Government to act, and to honour and enforce international law everywhere. In recent days, a humanitarian flotilla has been intercepted and prevented from distributing much needed aid to the starving in Gaza, NZ citizens have been taken in international waters and remain in captivity, and a proposed “peace plan” disregards core international conventions and established structures.

These breaches show the dangers of governments remaining neutral in the face of injustice, and New Zealand’s silence signals not balance, but rather an abdication of responsibility.

A principled stance requires that Aotearoa honours its agreements and insists that all states we interact and conduct business with do so as well. If the NZ Government will not act in this case, or for the Palestinian people, time will show it will not act for others. The question is simple: who is next?

In this context, IWCNZ calls on our Government to immediately and unconditionally recognise the State of Palestine, demand the release of all those seized in international waters, require Israel’s compliance with international law in all cases, and impose sanctions for its ongoing and egregious violations of humanitarian law. To fail to do so is not a passive omission. It is a conscious political decision that undermines international law, human dignity, and the global consensus affirming the Palestinian right to self-determination.

IWCNZ represents Muslim women across Aotearoa, many of whom carry the trauma of war, displacement, and watching their families suffer in silence. Our Palestinian sisters are raising children under siege, giving birth under rubble, and grieving in front of cameras that only occasionally pay attention.

This is not simply a political matter. It is a humanitarian emergency. According to UN OCHA and UN Women, over two million people in Gaza are displaced, 94% of hospitals are damaged or destroyed, and more than 70% of those displaced are women and children. Estimates indicate over 65,000 dead, 150,000 wounded, and 500,000 facing famine-like conditions.We include the voices of Palestinian women whose testimonies reflect the unbearable cost of this crisis. As reported by Al Jazeera on 24 September 2025, Hiba al-Sheikh Khalil, a mother displaced multiple times in Gaza, said:

“I gave birth under siege with no milk, no diapers, no medicine — nothing.”

From UN Women’s September 2025 report, Niveen Adel, displaced more than ten times, shared:

“I can’t be mother, father, and head of the household all at once. I have no money, not even a bag of flour to feed us.”

These are not isolated stories. They represent the daily reality of millions enduring war, starvation, and erasure.

The New Zealand Government has claimed that recognition is premature. We ask: after 75 years of occupation, tens of thousands of dead, and over 150 countries already recognising Palestine, what exactly is premature?

Delaying recognition in 2025 is not neutrality. It is a choice to avoid responsibility rather than to act with integrity.

New Zealand’s voting record at the United Nations has shown inconsistency. While supporting humanitarian aid, it has repeatedly abstained from opposing resolutions affirming Palestinian sovereignty. Aotearoa is party to the UN Charter, which upholds the right to self-determination – a right the Government now selectively applies.

New Zealand once stood proudly against apartheid in South Africa. Today, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Occupied Territories describe Israel’s system as apartheid.

We ask: Will our government again wait until the injustice is safely in the past before finding its voice?

IWCNZ calls on the New Zealand Government to:

  • Immediately and unconditionally recognise the State of Palestine as a matter of international law and moral clarity.
  • Support international accountability mechanisms, including the ICC’s investigation into war crimes in Gaza and the West Bank.
  • End all military and security cooperation with entities complicit in the occupation.
  • Ensure refugee and humanitarian pathways for Palestinians impacted by ongoing violence.
  • Champion a foreign policy grounded in justice and consistency, not geopolitics or selective empathy.

We also call on Māori and Pacific leaders, interfaith communities, and civil society organisations to stand with us in solidarity. Recognition of Palestine is not just a foreign policy issue — it is a test of our national conscience.Silence is not neutrality. It is prolonging the suffering.

As Muslim women, we know too well the cost of silence when our pain is erased, our voices ignored, and our communities left to carry the burden of injustice alone. Today, we speak not only for Palestinian women, but alongside them.

We urge all New Zealanders, and especially our elected officials, to act with the same courage we ask of women under siege: to stand, to speak, and to end injustice and to support the oppressed.

Posted on

Employment – West Coast home care support workers to strike on October 23 – PSA

Source: PSA

Fifty-one West Coast home care support workers will be striking on Thursday October 23 in support of their claim for a fair pay offer and training they need to do their work safely.
The workers, who are PSA members, voted overwhelmingly to take strike action following the failure of Health NZ Te Whatu Ora to meet their concerns about better training and to make a pay offer that reflects their value to the health system. They have been bargaining since May.
The strike will run from noon to 2pm on Thursday 23 October and these workers will also hold two-hour stop work meetings in Greymouth, Hokitika and Westport on Monday 13 October.
They will join more than 11,500 Allied Health workers and 3,500 Mental Health Nurses and Assistants and Public Health who are also striking on 23 October in support of their own claims in various collective bargaining.
“The Government must fund health services properly, so that workers have enough money to live on and can continue to help New Zealanders facing challenges,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“The home community support workers provide high quality, in-home care for the elderly, people experiencing mental ill health, and patients requiring pre- or post-operative care at home,” Fitzsimons said.
“These workers go into homes alone and never know how they will be received by clients or their families. They can face difficult and sometimes dangerous situations where they can be verbally or physically abused,” Fitzsimons said.
“That’s why these workers need training in how to de-escalate tense situations and how to free themselves from unwanted contact.”
“Health NZ’s pay offer, which is below the cost of living adds insult to injury for this group of workers who were part of a pay equity claim that was retrospectively scrapped by the Government in May,” Fitzsimons said.
Home community support worker and PSA Delegate Rachelle Richards said she and her fellow workers like all healthcare professionals were “gravely concerned about the chronic underfunding of the sector.
“The underfunding puts a lot of pressure on workers, but we’re also worried about the effects of short-staffing and budget cuts have on patients. Our services save money by reducing the need to acute and crisis care.
“The employer’s offer is not good enough – it doesn’t recognise all the work we do under increasingly difficult circumstances. It doesn’t acknowledge our training needs nor the increasingly complex environment we work in.
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
Posted on

Auckland Museum – Dive into the world of Sharks at Auckland Museum this Summer

Source: Auckland Museum

Sharks is set to take centre stage at Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum this Summer, opening Wednesday 10 December 2025.  

Sharks invites families, students and enthusiasts into a world dominated by members of the shark family to explore their genetic diversity, territories, interactions and significance to ocean ecosystems.

Created by the Australian Museum, this acclaimed exhibition invites visitors to explore the often misunderstood but fascinating world of sharks. Highlighting the very latest science alongside cultural perspectives, Sharks reveals the diversity of these ancient fishes.

Visitors will encounter nine life-sized scientifically accurate models, including the now extinct 270-million-year-old Helicoprion (also known as the Buzzsaw Shark); the Hammerhead Shark, known for its unique head shape and 360-degree vision; and the Great White Shark, one of the most famous (and feared) species of shark. Other life-sized sharks on display are the Tiger Shark, Greynurse Shark, Prickly Dogfish, Epaulette Shark and Frill Shark.

© Australia Museum

The exhibition features hands-on learning through artefacts and tactile displays, which include a megalodon jaw and a Great White tooth. Immersive and interactive experiences allow visitors to navigate through a shark body via a 3D interactive scan, adapt a shark to survive in changing environments, and see the world in 360-degrees through the eyes of a Hammerhead. State-of-the-art projections and a specially designed ‘oceanarium’ bring sharks to life as they swim virtually through their ocean habitats.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a quarter of the world’s sharks are threatened with extinction. This exhibition presents the very latest information on conservation, sharks’ impact on oceans, and efforts to protect sharks. Shark safety is also highlighted, enabling visitors to make informed choices when entering marine environments – the natural domain of sharks.

Clinton Duffy, Curator of Marine Biology at Auckland Museum, and shark expert, says, “Sharks are one of the most misunderstood animals on the planet. Most people can name a couple of sharks, such as the Great White Shark, Tiger Shark, Hammerhead or Bronze Whaler. But sharks are a really diverse group, with over 500 species, ranging in size from the tiny cigar shark to the Whale Shark, the largest fish in the ocean.”

“Sharks have so much to tell us about evolution, ocean ecosystems, and our natural world,” says Duffy.

David Reeves, Tumu Whakarae Chief Executive at Auckland Museum, says, “Sharks are among the most fascinating animals in our world, and we’re thrilled to bring this acclaimed exhibition from the Australian Museum in Sydney to us in Auckland, just in time for summer.”

“Sharks hold a particular place in popular mythology, sometimes unfairly portrayed, so this exhibition is an opportunity for visitors to get up close to appreciate their beauty and diversity. Visitors can learn about the vital role sharks play in our oceans, and we hope they’ll come away with a deeper understanding of our marine environment,” says Reeves.

Sharks comes exclusively to Auckland Museum and opens Wednesday 10 December 2025 until Monday 27 April 2026. Tickets are on sale from Thursday 6 November 2025.

Auckland Museum Membership and Mini-Membership (for ages 5-15) provides unlimited free entry to Sharks, discounted event tickets and exclusive Member-only events. Find out more at: aucklandmuseum.com/membership.

Posted on

Pacific – Vatu Dei Release Debut Album for Fijian Language Week 2025

Source: Kane Parsons

The bold and beautiful harmonies of Fijian songs and storytelling are set to reach a wider audience with the announcement that Vatu Dei are releasing their debut album this October as part of their Pasifika Artist in Residence for Palmerston North.

The album, produced in collaboration with The KaRs and Hokozoo Productions, will be launched during Fijian Language Week 2025, celebrating the richness of the Fijian identity and the strength of Pasifika voices in Aotearoa.

Vatu Dei, meaning “Steadfast Rock,” is a collective of talented Fijian artists who celebrate culture through meke, the traditional form of Fijian song and dance. Their work blends chants, harmonies, spoken word, and contemporary performance to share the stories of Fijian legends, love, indigenous history, and everyday life.

Rooted deeply in iTaukei (indigenous Fijian) traditions, the collective is dedicated to preserving ancestral knowledge while offering a fresh and powerful voice for the next generation.

The Creative New Zealand Pacific Arts Regional Residency, supported through Creative New Zealand’s Pacific Arts Strategy in partnership with Palmerston North City Council, invests in Pasifika artists whose work strengthens cultural identity, builds community connection, and pushes creative boundaries.

“We are thrilled to partner again with Palmerston North City Council to co-invest in strategic opportunities for Pasifika creative communities in the region. It’s fantastic that Melanesian artists have been selected, as this aligns with one of our strategic priorities, ‘Pacific arts include our whole village,’” says Erolia Ifopo, Mana Pasifika Navigator, Pacific Arts from Creative New Zealand.

Stephanie Velvin, manager of community development at Palmerston North City Council, adds, “We’re proud to support Vatu Dei as they take this next step. They bring a fresh perspective and a strong connection to culture, which perfectly embody what this residency is all about.”

Joe Bose, speaking for Vatu Dei, says the collective is honoured to receive the residency and excited to release their first body of recorded work:

“Vatu Dei are not only about reviving traditions—we are reimagining what it means to be Fijian in the modern world, carrying the past forward with strength and pride.”

Album Release

The debut album from Vatu Dei will be available on all major streaming platforms from October 5th, 2025. https://music.drm.co.nz/vatu-dei or Promo Player – Vatu Dei

The album launch will take place at PN City Library at 4 pm on Friday, 10th October.

Vatu Dei will present a flagship live concert as part of their residency celebrations in Palmerston North on Friday,December 19th, at 7 pm at the Globe Theatre, Palmerston North.

Posted on

Health and Employment – Te Whatu Ora nurses, midwives, health care assistants and kaimahi hauora vote to strike on 23 October

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Frustration over their patient safety concerns remaining unaddressed after a year of bargaining has resulted in more than 36,000 NZNO nurses, midwives, health care assistants and kaimahi hauora voting to take further strike action.
The Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO members today voted to hold a four-hour strike from 11am to 3pm on Thursday 23 October.
NZNO chief executive Paul Goulter says the NZNO negotiating team has now held 31 days of meetings with Te Whatu Ora since collective bargaining began in September 2024.
“Today’s vote shows NZNO’s Health NZ -Te Whatu Ora members are frustrated that one year on, their concerns about safe staffing levels not being enforced and the risks that creates for patient safety, are still not being heard.
“Our members are telling Health NZ they are understaffed and overworked. Te Whatu Ora’s own figures show that New Zealand’s hospitals were, on average, 587 nurses short every shift last year.
Health Minister Simeon Brown has acknowledged they “need to be hiring more nurses at Health NZ,” Paul Goulter says.
“It’s time for Te Whatu Ora to now reflect this in their bargaining approach; remove the covert recruitment freeze, enforce safe staffing levels and commit to hiring nurse graduates.
“Te Whatu Ora nurses, midwives, health care assistants and kaimahi hauora will stand proudly alongside primary school teachers, allied health and mental health workers on 23 October,” Paul Goulter says.
Notes:
  • NZNO members will strike from 11am to 3pm on Thursday 23 October 2025.
  • The strike will occur at every place in New Zealand at which Health New Zealand provides health services and/or disability support services.
  • NZNO members will provide Life Preserving Services. 
Posted on

Environment – ‘Nitrate emergency starts here’: Greenpeace pins blame on Canterbury dairy conversions

Source: Greenpeace

‘The Nitrate Emergency: it starts here.’ That’s what a freshly-installed Fonterra farm sign said outside Canterbury’s first complete dairy conversion this morning. Greenpeace installed the modified Fonterra sign saying that there can be no new dairy expansion in a nitrate emergency.
Greenpeace spokesperson Will Appelbe says “The dirty dairy industry, led by Fonterra, is responsible for Canterbury’s drinking water crisis. The nitrate emergency starts here – on Fonterra dairy farms just like this one, that contaminate drinking water with cow urine and fertiliser runoff.
Greenpeace’s sign was installed outside a controversial Wongan Hills dairy conversion in the Kaituna Valley, which the organisation believes is the first operational conversion in Canterbury this year.
“There can be no more dairy expansion in a nitrate emergency,” says Appelbe. “There are simply too many cows on the Canterbury plains and we can’t afford to add any more. New Zealand needs to reduce the dairy herd size, not grow it.
“Runoff from this dairy conversion will end up downstream in the Kaituna River, and then flowing into Te Waihora – already one of the most polluted lakes in Aotearoa.”
Studies show that regions of intensive dairying in Aotearoa have high rates of nitrate contamination – which is linked to several health risks. A prominent Danish study indicated that long-term exposure to levels of nitrate as low as 1 mg/L may be linked to an increased risk of bowel cancer, while other studies have linked levels of nitrate at 5 mg/L or higher to an increased risk of pre-term birth.
A recent groundwater study by GNS Science indicates that more than 100,000 people in New Zealand may be exposed to nitrate at 5 mg/L or higher – predominantly in rural areas like Canterbury.
“Everyone has the right to safe healthy drinking water but right now, many families in rural New Zealand can’t drink the water from their kitchen tap without fear of getting sick – particularly in Canterbury,” says Appelbe.
Greenpeace is calling on Cantabrians to vote for fresh water in the upcoming local elections. Appelbe says aspiring councillors have been put on notice.
“Environment Canterbury has declared a nitrate emergency, but there is so much more to do. Incoming ECan councillors must be prepared to put their money where their mouth is. It’s time to put an end to dairy expansion and phase out the use of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser – because safe, healthy drinking water is a fundamental human right.
“Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell held a press conference about the extortionate price of butter. When will he front up to the people of Canterbury for causing the nitrate emergency?”
Notes:
  • Environment Canterbury issued the Wongan Hill’s farm with effluent discharge consents in January, which enabled the conversion to intensive dairying. The farm can milk up to 800 cows a day, with 400 cows wintering in a composting feed barn.
  • The intensive dairy farm is located next to the Kaituna River which flows into Te Waihora.
  • Kaituna River has been identified as a site of cultural and ecological significance. It provides important habitat for indigenous birds and freshwater fish. It supports two bird species that are nationally Threatened (Australasian crested grebe and Pied cormorant), and one that is nationally At Risk (Black cormorant). It is distinctive as one of only two lowland rivers in New Zealand where Australasian crested grebe are known to breed.
  • Te Waihora is a living shallow, brackish coastal lake-lagoon that is nationally and internationally significant for its cultural and ecological values. It is also one of New Zealand’s most polluted lakes.
Posted on

Agriculture – New movement restrictions boost Otago’s bovine TB protection

Source: OSPRI New Zealand

Disease eradication agency OSPRI’s introduction of a new Movement Control Area this week adds to initiatives already underway in Otago to eradicate bovine TB.
Restricting the movement of livestock is intended to be a precautionary measure, limiting disease spread.
The number of infected herds in the region has reduced recently to five in Otago – four beef herds and one deer. There are 16 infected herds across New Zealand.
“Otago, and central Otago in particular, is considered a hot spot for bovine TB because of the spread of the disease within the possum population in the area,” says Simon Andrew, OSPRI’s general manager of disease control planning and integration.
The possum is bovine TB’s main ‘vector’ or disease carrier.
“The movement control area we started from 1 October protects 110 farms within this region but also farms in surrounding disease-free regions.
“Other work we have underway in the area includes the assessment and scheduling of follow-up TB testing for animals which have grazed in TB risk areas.
“We have completed all the additional follow-up testing of animals which may have been in contact with those from currently and previously infected herds in the area.
“More than 1200 additional tracing tests have been completed in the area so far this year,” Simon says.
Earlier this year an aerial 1080 possum control operation was successfully delivered in the Clutha region.
OSPRI is also increasing its wild animal control and survey programme for the 2025/2026 year, including additional possum control in the South Waitaki.
“Our possum control and wild animal surveying for the next financial year in Otago will cover 507,065 hectares. Just under 120,000 hectares will be in the South Waitaki.
Posted on

Advocacy – New Zealand Activists Abducted – PFNZ

Source: Palestine Forum of New Zealand (PFNZ)

The Palestine Forum of New Zealand expresses its deep alarm and outrage at the abduction of Rana Hamida, Samuel Leason, and Youssef Sammour. These three New Zealanders, committed to justice and human rights, have been unlawfully taken while engaging in peaceful advocacy for Palestine.

Their abduction is a grave violation of international law and human rights principles. It is an attempt to silence voices of solidarity and to intimidate those who stand against injustice.

We call on the New Zealand Government to take urgent and decisive action to ensure the immediate and safe release of Youssef, Rana, and Samuel. As citizens of this country, their protection and freedom must be a matter of the highest priority.

We further urge the international community to join in condemning this abduction and to hold those responsible accountable. The world cannot remain silent while peaceful activists are targeted for standing up for justice.

The Palestine Forum of New Zealand stands firmly with Youssef, Rana, and Samuel, and with all who are unjustly detained for their commitment to freedom and human dignity.

They must be released immediately.

Palestine Forum of New Zealand

Posted on

Health – KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) for certain patients with high risk early-stage triple negative breast cancer (eTNBC) now on Pharmac’s waitlist

Source: Merck Sharp & Dohme (New Zealand)  (MSD)

Auckland, New Zealand, 3 October 2025 – October is breast cancer awareness month, and Merck Sharp & Dohme (New Zealand) Limited (MSD) (tradename of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (NYSE: MRK) is pleased to share that KEYTRUDA, an immunotherapy medicine for the treatment of certain patients with high-risk early-stage triple negative breast cancer (eTNBC), has been added to Pharmac’s Options for Investment list, (OFI) meaning it can be considered for public funding. 1

MSD Director, Vanessa Gascoigne, says, “The inclusion of KEYTRUDA for eTNBC on Pharmac’s OFI list is good news, and we are pleased to announce this, during Breast Cancer Awareness month. 1

“TNBC, which accounts for approximately 15% of all breast cancers, is an aggressive type of invasive breast cancer that tends to grow and spread faster than other types of breast cancer and has a poorer prognosis. 2,3 TNBC has fewer treatment options compared to other types of breast cancer as it lacks receptors that can be targeted by medications such as hormone and HER2-blocking drugs.2

“KEYTRUDA has been funded for certain patients with advanced triple negative breast cancer since October 2024, and we are now working with Pharmac, trying to extend funded access for certain people diagnosed at an earlier stage of this challenging disease.” 4

Breast Cancer Foundation NZ Chief Executive, Ah-Leen Rayner, added: “New Zealanders with high-risk early-stage triple-negative breast cancer need funded access to more treatment options. We hope Pharmac can widen access to KEYTRUDA so that eligible Kiwis with this aggressive type of breast cancer can have funded access to another treatment option.”

Vanessa Gascoigne, MSD New Zealand Director, adds “As of September 29th there are 122 other medicine applications on the Options for Investment list, waiting to be funded. 1 We will continue to work closely with Pharmac to try and progress this application for funding Keytruda for certain patients with high-risk early-stage TNBC.”

Consumer Mandatories

KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) is available as a 100 mg/4 mL concentrate for solution for infusion.

KEYTRUDA is a Prescription Medicine and may be used in certain adults:

  • After surgery to remove melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer or renal cell carcinoma to help prevent the cancer from coming back
  • Before surgery to treat non-small cell lung cancer or triple-negative breast cancer and then continued after surgery to help prevent the cancer from coming back
  • To treat bladder cancer which has not spread to nearby tissues but is at high-risk of spreading and where bladder removal is not preferred
  • To treat the following types of advanced cancers: melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), urothelial carcinoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma, oesophageal carcinoma, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, cervical cancer, endometrial carcinoma, triple-negative breast cancer,  merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), biliary tract carcinoma, or a kind of cancer that can occur anywhere in the body, including the colon or rectum, and is shown by a laboratory test to be microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR).

KEYTRUDA may be used to treat certain children with MPM, cHL, MCC, or MSI-H/dMMR cancer. It is not known if KEYTRUDA is safe and effective in children with MSI-H or dMMR cancer of the brain or spinal cord (central nervous system cancers). Children may also receive KEYTRUDA after surgery to remove melanoma.

KEYTRUDA can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in any area of your body and can affect the way they work. These side effects can sometimes become life-threatening and can lead to death. These side effects may happen anytime during treatment or even after your treatment has ended. You may experience more than one side effect at the same time.

KEYTRUDA can cause some serious side effects. Serious side effects may include: lung problems, intestinal problems, liver problems, hormone gland problems, blood sugar problems, kidney problems, skin problems, problems in other organs and tissues, infusion reactions that can sometimes be severe, rejection of a transplanted organ or tissue, and complications in people with a bone marrow transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic). These are not all of the signs and symptoms of immune system problems that can happen with KEYTRUDA. Getting medical treatment right away may help keep these problems from becoming more serious.

You should not be given KEYTRUDA if you are allergic to pembrolizumab or to any of the other ingredients.

If you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, tell your doctor. KEYTRUDA can cause harm or death to your unborn baby. You must use effective contraception while you are being treated with KEYTRUDA and for at least 4 months after the last dose of KEYTRUDA if you are a woman who could become pregnant. Do not breastfeed while taking KEYTRUDA.

Very common side effects of KEYTRUDA include diarrhoea, nausea, itching, rash, joint pain, back pain, feeling tired, cough, patches of discoloured skin, stomach pain, decreased levels of sodium in blood, and low levels of thyroid hormone.

The side effects listed below are additional common side effects that may occur when KEYTRUDA is given together with another treatment, in addition to the very common side effects listed above.

With chemotherapy or chemotherapy + radiotherapy: hair loss, vomiting, decreased number of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets in the blood, mouth sores, fever, decreased appetite, and swelling of the lining of the digestive system (for example mouth, intestines).

With axitinib: high blood pressure, decreased appetite, blisters or rash on palms of your hands and soles of your feet, increased liver enzyme levels, hoarseness, and constipation.

With lenvatinib: high blood pressure, decreased appetite, vomiting, weight loss, headache, constipation, hoarseness, urinary tract infection, stomach-area (abdominal pain), blisters or rash on the palms of your hands and soles of your feet, protein in your urine, increased liver enzyme levels, and feeling weak.

In children, common side effects of KEYTRUDA include fever, vomiting, headache, stomach pain, decreased number of red blood cells, cough, and constipation. (v59)

These are not all of the possible side effects of KEYTRUDA. If you have any side effects, talk to your doctor.

KEYTRUDA has risks and benefits. Talk to your doctor about whether KEYTRUDA is a suitable treatment option for you. For more information about KEYTRUDA refer to the Consumer Medicine Information available at www.medsafe.govt.nz/consumers/cmi/k/Keytruda.pdf  

KEYTRUDA is funded to treat certain patients with the following cancers: melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, MSI-H or dMMR colorectal cancer, triple-negative breast cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, urothelial carcinoma, and cHL. Patients must meet specific criteria to qualify for funding.

If KEYTRUDA is not funded for your particular cancer, you will need to pay the full cost of the medicine and its administration. Talk to your doctor about whether you qualify for funding, the cost of the medicine, and any other fees that may apply.

Posted on

Employment and Health – Mental health workers say they’ve had enough – vote to strike on 23 October – PSA

Source: PSA

More than 3,500 mental health and public health nurses and mental health assistants have voted to strike for 24 hours on Thursday 23 October in support of their claim for better pay and conditions.
The workers, who are PSA members, voted overwhelmingly to take strike action following the failure of Health NZ Te Whatu Ora to meet their concerns about safe staffing levels and make a pay offer that reflects their value to the health system. They have been bargaining for the past year.
The strike will run from 7am Thursday 23 October to 6.59am Friday 24 October.
They join more than 11,500 Allied Health workers who are striking from midnight to midnight on 23 October.
“The Government must fund health services properly, so that workers have enough money to live on and can continue to help New Zealanders facing challenges,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
The members are registered mental health nurses and public health nurses – including those working in community and in-patient areas, and mental health assistants who work in in-patient units and in some areas in the community.
“These nurses and mental health assistants work in some of the most demanding parts of the public health system, yet after bargaining for a year, their concerns about staffing levels and fair pay have fallen on deaf ears.”
PSA delegate and community mental health nurse Monique Larsen said the strike action is as much for patients and their families as it is for frontline workers.
“We can’t keep going the way we are now. We’re constantly trying to look after patients with absolute minimum levels of staffing – it’s not sustainable.
“We nurses and mental health assistants are reluctant to do this, but we’ve run out of patience with Health NZ and the Government.
“Our communities’ mental and public health needs have increased significantly post COVID – the impact post-pandemic has been overlooked. We’ve seen a massive increase of drug and addiction issues putting heaps of pressure on our mental health and addictions and ED services.
“We’re really worried about the whaiora who will slip through the cracks if we don’t properly resource services now and look after our existing and future healthcare workers. At current levels, we’re putting the health of our patients at risk.”
PSA delegate and registered mental health nurse Roy Bicknell said the nurses have been at the bargaining table for over a year with little to show for it.
“We don’t take industrial action lightly – we have patients relying on us for help. But when Health NZ has repeatedly refused to meet us on key health and safety issues, we don’t see any other option.
“Every day I see staff battle to provide quality healthcare in unsafe working environments, with few policies or procedures to support them. We want Health NZ and the Government to listen to workers and understand the real issues here and then commit to properly funding the healthcare system so we can all benefit.”
Fleur Fitzsimson said; “If these essential health workers are not properly valued, more will leave for Australia – that doesn’t serve anyone well.” 
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.