Category: Ministry of Health

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Public consultation on amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) took place between 17 January and 18 February 2024. Over that period, the Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora (the Ministry) received 3,629 submissions: 3,587 via the online platform CitizenSpace, and 42 via email.

A large number of submissions appeared to duplicate content and wording. In addition, some submissions provided general comments rather than responding to the amendments specifically.

The vast majority of submissions strongly opposed the proposed amendments to the IHR. A common concern raised in the submissions was that the amendments would require New Zealand to cede parts of its sovereignty and give the World Health Organization (WHO) or other international entities too much power. However, it is important to note that, if the World Health Assembly adopts the IHR amendments, any decision to become bound will be subject to the full treaty making process. This process includes Cabinet approval, a national interest analysis and parliamentary treaty examination and will determine whether these changes are in New Zealand’s interest.

A small number of submissions from New Zealand organisations acknowledged that the IHR need to be strengthened to protect New Zealand against future pandemics.

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Privacy

We may publish submissions on the Ministry’s website, unless you have asked us not to. If you are submitting as an individual, we will automatically remove your personal details and any identifiable information. You can chose to have your personal details withheld if your submission is requested under the Official Information Act.

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Privacy

We may publish submissions on the Ministry’s website, unless you have asked us not to. If you are submitting as an individual, we will automatically remove your personal details and any identifiable information. You can chose to have your personal details withheld if your submission is requested under the Official Information Act.

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Privacy

We may publish submissions on the Ministry’s website, unless you have asked us not to. If you are submitting as an individual, we will automatically remove your personal details and any identifiable information. You can chose to have your personal details withheld if your submission is requested under the Official Information Act.

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Following the leak of confidential Ministry information to an external third party last month, the Ministry of Health began an investigation to determine how this occurred.

We can now confirm that the individual responsible has been identified and no longer works at the Ministry.

“We take matters of integrity extremely seriously. Our job is to work to the direction of the government of the day. Any efforts to undermine this process erodes the strong values and ethics of the public service and the trust and confidence held in us by the public. I cannot stress how disappointing this has been,” said Dr Diana Sarfati, Director-General of Health.

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

The Ministry of Health | Manatū Hauora and the University of Waikato have signed a Memorandum of Understanding as a first step towards establishing a new medical school

The purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding is to commit the Parties to set out the work for the establishment of a third medical school at the University of Waikato. 

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

About measles and the vaccine

We know that measles is actually really really contagious.

If one person is infected, you can actually spread it to around 15 to 18 people and it’s not a nice disease to have it can make you feel really sick and awful.

Quite often people can end up in hospital because they’re so sick and unwell from the infection.

There is no real good treatment to be honest, so the best thing that you can do is actually get vaccinated so you get your body ready to fight off the infection.

If you’re all protected, so if I’m vaccinated, every one of my family is vaccinated and someone comes to the house and they’ve got measles or mumps they actually don’t pass it on to us, because the vaccine has actually helped protect us from actually getting the measles, or if we do get it we fight off so well that we don’t spread it around we don’t give it to other people.

How does the measles vaccine work? What are the side effects?

The vaccine which protects us against measles comes in a combination it’s called the MMR.  

So measles, mumps, rubella so you actually get protected against 3 different diseases at the same time, which is great news.

MMR vaccine is supposed to stimulate your body to be able to fight off infection if it sees the disease in real-time and so that potentially means that you can have some of those side effects that occur when you are vaccinated.

Getting a temperature that you may actually get a rash afterwards for the vaccine that’s actually quite common.

Some people might find their glands actually go up after having the vaccine and some people they can have a little bit of an achy body.

For some people the symptoms may occur in the first few hours, for others it can occur up to a week or two weeks later, but actually they stay well with it, so despite having some mild side effects they actually stay very well.

What should I do if I’m not sure if I have had a measles vaccine?

So if you’re not sure if you’re vaccinated or not then just talk to your GP or GP nurse, they’ll be able to look it up on their system.

Sometimes you may have had your childhood imms book. We can have a look through there and see if you’ve had the full vaccinations because you only need 2 doses to be fully vaccinated.

But even if we’re not sure, if we can’t find the records or we think you might be partially vaccinated. It actually does you no harm to have an extra vaccination.

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Summary

Following the 2023 general election, the Ministry of Health | Manatū Hauora, Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, and the Māori Health Authority | Te Aka Whai Ora together produced a Joint Briefing to the Incoming Minister for Mental Health.

The briefing sets out, at a high level, Coalition Government priorities, opportunities and key decisions, with a particular focus mental health and addiction in Aotearoa New Zealand and mechanisms to influence the mental health and addiction system.

Some information has been withheld, in line with the following sections of the Official Information Act 1982.

• Section 9(2)(f)(iv) to maintain the constitutional conventions that protect the confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers and officials.
• Section 9(2)(g)(i) to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank expression of opinions by or between or to Ministers and officers and employees of any public service agency.
• Section 9(2)(j) to enable a Minister of the Crown or any public service agency or organisation holding the information to carry on, without prejudice or disadvantage, negotiations.

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Summary

Following the 2023 general election, the Ministry of Health | Manatū Hauora, produced a Briefing to the Incoming Minister of Health, as is usual practice.

Part A of this briefing provides an overview of the current health of New Zealanders and outlines some key opportunities, issues, and challenges to improve health outcomes. It also outlines immediate work to progress the 100-day plan and coalition commitments.

Part B provides more detail on the roles and responsibilities of the Minister of Health and the Ministry of Health’s roles and functions within the health portfolio.

Some information has been withheld, in line with the following sections of the Official Information Act 1982.

• Section 9(2)(a) to protect the privacy of individuals
• Section 9(2)(f)(iv) to maintain the constitutional conventions that protect the confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers and officials.

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

A vaccine to combat the newer strains of COVID-19 has been approved and will be available to New Zealanders in time for winter 2024.

Today Medsafe has approved Pfizer’s application for an updated COVID-19 vaccine for the XBB.1.5 strain to be used in New Zealand says Medsafe Group Manager Chris James.

“Following a robust and efficient approval process the vaccine will be used to help reduce next year’s winter load on our hospitals”, he says. “The series of changes we see in the COVID-19 virus means we need to continually reassess and update our response to it.”

Pharmac – Te Pātaka Whaioranga has been working to secure supply of the updated vaccines in time for next winter season.

Pharmac’s Director, Pharmaceuticals Geraldine MacGibbon says it’s important to ensure we have the best available protection as we head towards the winter season. “Securing COVID-19 vaccine stock for 2024 is a high priority for Pharmac.”

“We’re working with the suppliers, Medsafe, and Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora, to ensure New Zealanders have access to the COVID-19 XBB.1.5 vaccine in time for people to protect themselves and their whānau ahead of winter”, says MacGibbon.

“We understand people are interested in who will have access to the COVID-19 XBB.1.5 vaccine when it’s available. There are no changes to eligibility at present. If Pharmac were to consider changes that would affect people’s access, we’d consult publicly to ensure we’re incorporating feedback from the healthcare sector and the community into our decision.”

“We will share more information on our website and with the public as it is available,” concludes MacGibbon.

Harriette Carr, Deputy Director of Public Health at Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora, says the current COVID-19 BA.4.5 booster vaccines remain available and are effective in reducing the risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

“People are encouraged to get a booster now if due, as we are in the midst of a current COVID-19 wave. If you are due, don’t wait until next year”, says Dr Carr.

“It is important to get a booster now to protect yourself and your loved ones, especially with Covid cases currently on the rise.

“These groups in particular are recommended to get a booster:

• people aged 65 and older,
• Māori and Pacific people aged 50 and older,
• those who have a medical condition that makes them severely immunocompromised (12 years of age and older),
• pregnant people who have not had any booster dose previously, have co-morbidities, or have no history of previous COVID-19 infection,
• residents of aged care facilities, and
• people who were recommended to receive a booster in April 2023 but have not yet done so.”