At the end of July, Pharmac made the decision to expand eligibility to a fully funded Meningococcal B vaccine to all children under five. This decision has been supported and welcomed by the Meningitis Foundation, who say it will benefit over seventy thousand children in New Zealand.
Now, the Foundation is calling for eligibility to be increased to a higher age limit, to account for all young people in New Zealand. Currently, younger people’s access to the funded vaccine is dependent on whether or not they fit a specific criteria, such as a first year student in halls, and the Foundation believes that young people would benefit greatly from the expanding of these criteria to cover a larger portion of the vulnerable young population.
Producer Alex spoke to Gerard Rushton, the chair of the Meningitis Foundation, about Pharmac’s decision, how meningitis affects young people, and why we should be expanding the eligibility to take care of young New Zealanders.
This Day in History takes us back to 1973, for the first official deployment of US troops to the Vietnam War, to expand on their existing support for the government of South Vietnam.
Performer and choreographer Suzanne Cowan spoke with Rachel this morning about the panel discussion 'Crip Dance/Dance and Dis-ability' which is happening tonight as part of the Tempo Dance Festival 2020. Whakarongo mai nei to hear about expanded dance, reframing identity and how to tune in this evening.
Our weekly chat with Andrew Little is back! This week Tuva’a Clifton chats with the health minister about the new investment into harm reduction for gambling, as well as free flu jabs being expanded to children and people with mental health issues, and how the flu is straining our hospitals.
Oto and Jaycee played a variety of RnB, Hip-Hop and Electronic tracks from mainly female Southeast-Asian artists and had a chat with Munjiy, a DJ, designer and creative from Malaysia.
In the last week, RNZ has come under fire for its use of Te Reo with Don Brash among others annoyed by its presence on national radio, and television. Brash says he doesn’t understand the language, says it has no value to him, and that it is being rammed down peoples throats. Other people like media commentator John Drinnan say RNZ does not have a strategy for its use of Te Reo, with no reason given as to why it is being used and what is being said. The Monday Wire team were joined for a live panel discussion on the use of Te Reo in the media by news director Lillian Hanly, Morning Glory host Geneva Alexander-Marsters, and former Wire producer Atereano Mateariki.
This Wire, Ilena talked to Chlöe Swarbrick from the Green party about the drug harm reduction programme Te Ara Oranga.
The Green party is calling on the Government to roll out the programme nationwide as it has been successful in the far North areas that it has been implemented.
They also talked about the announcement of this funding and expansion coming alongside the initial review of ‘police discretion’ Misuse of Drugs Act changes.