Health

Why you shouldn't feel ashamed about having herpes

Up to 80% of NZers catch herpes at some point in their lives, according to the NZ Herpes Foundation.

The pain they didn’t expect: Patients speak out on IUD insertion

“It kind of destroyed my life in a lot of ways.”

How to find a trusted doctor as a queer person

“I don’t know a queer person who hasn’t had a bad experience with healthcare.”

Stop asking people if they’re going to have kids

“People put their own values onto us and think they know better for us.”

What it’s like to be a Māori midwife

"We’re the ones who represent the statistics, so we need our workforce to grow.”

Penis problems: A sex expert answers your questions

From ‘why do men cum fast?’ to ‘is blue balls a real thing’?

A person with a brain injury answers your questions

“Just coming to terms with how different my life is now…has probably been the hardest.”

A person with borderline personality disorder answers your questions

“People say ‘They're crazy, they can't have relationships’. That hurts me.”

Why we need more Māori doctors

"Quite often patients will tell me that I’m the first Māori doctor they’ve ever met."

Why NZ needs more Māori and Pasifika blood donations

"To give someone the ultimate koha and keep his memory alive is the greatest tribute."

No one had ever spoken to me about miscarriage. I’m talking about mine

"The loss of a pregnancy is the loss of a dream," writes Ataria Sharman.

How many NZers have long Covid? New registry aims to find out

“[Long Covid] affects everything, it literally destroys lives."

It took me 8 years to get an endometriosis diagnosis

“Endometriosis care, as it currently is, is just not acceptable."

Young workers are more burnt out than any other age group, but why?

“It’s been two years and I still haven’t recovered.”

Uh oh: Repeated infections may make you 50% higher risk for Alzheimer's

A new study has found concerning links between viral infections and the disease.

Bracing for fentanyl: NZ experts push for safe drug-using space

“An overdose prevention centre would offer a more compassionate, health-based approach."

1 in 3 drugs sold in NZ aren’t what you think

"There’s no cocaine in the sample”

Unpacking SPF, broad-spectrum and reef safety: Here’s the Re: guide to sunscreen

Re: has put together a checklist of things to look out for when you fork out for your next bottle.

People are banking their poo for the future

NZ experts think something stinks.

Monkeypox has officially arrived in NZ, so what is it?

“It is less contagious than Covid-19 and the outbreaks are much smaller,” Krause says.

NZ had the highest melanoma death rate in the world in 2020

Alongside Australia, New Zealand also has the highest number of cases of melanoma in 2020. 

Monkeypox to become a notifiable disease in NZ

"We are making sure we're as prepared as possible if any cases do appear here."

Covid update May 20: 7,800 cases, 17 deaths

The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers is 8,032 – last Friday it was 7,548.

Budget 2022: Here's what you need to know

The 2022 budget has allocated $128.4 billion towards areas such as health, climate and transport.

Covid update May 8: 5,647 new cases, 3 deaths

A case of the BA.5 variant has been discovered at Aotearoa's border for the first time.

Covid update May 7: 6,745 new cases, 15 in ICU.

There are 339 people in hospital, and 12 deaths being reported.

Covid update April 30: 7,043 new cases, 7 deaths

There are 15 people in ICU.

Covid update April 25: 5,690 new cases, 10 deaths

There are 514 people in hospital with 18 of those in ICU.