Health

Research led by the University of Technology Sydney and funded by AgriFutures Honey Bee & Pollination Program aims to provide evidence required by modern medicine to reposition honey from a staple in the pantry to a health food. The work seeks to use honey as a prebiotic to promote good digestive health and to help combat the onset and progression of gut related disease.

Kendall Jennings. As a part of a border community, you can enjoy both sides of the river without thinking you are in a different state – until the state governments have a difference of opinion over COVID-19 safety.

Nicholas Rupolo. Health Services Union paramedics across the Riverina will only attend to serious emergencies today following NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet’s wage increase offer the union describes as “humiliating and insulting” ... Health Services Union Riverina organiser Mick Grayson said regional paramedics were at a significant disadvantage from lower pay and costly work practices.

Central Goldfields Shire Council is reminding all households using an open fireplace or wood heater to ensure care is taken to prevent producing excessive amounts of smoke, which can have a negative impact on your neighbours and the environment.

The Nationals leader and Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, said he is still in “shocked disbelief at the sheer arrogance of the acting Premier and his head health honcho and their combined defence of Victoria’s never ending COVID mismanagement”.

Kirstin Nicholson. It was a crazy few hours on Wednesday, May 26, when the Cohuna Kangas announced on its Facebook page that a person who attended their footy and netball matches on Saturday, May 22 had since tested positive for COVID-19. ... The town was sent into a flurry. Apart from the Kangas’ Facebook post, there was no official community-wide notification, and no official government announcement, leaving many wondering what was happening. The old bush telegraph was working at full capacity and social media was running wild.

The Evans Head Men's Shed is where the blokes meet to have a cup of tea and a chat. They make things – but that isn’t the point, says Greg Davies. It’s about the mateship. Without it he wouldn’t have got through his wife’s death, he said.

The Australia Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Australian Business Council Dubai are delighted to jointly host this two-part webinar series with Dubai FDI - Healthcare on 16 June, Food & Agribusiness in September.

From Cape York to Kangaroo Island, to Wilcannia to Alice Springs, the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) is in the air delivering safe and effective vaccines to remote Australian communities. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack joined Regional Health Minister and Parkes MP, Mark Coulton to visit the RFDS base in Dubbo to announce a significant national partnership.

Five optometrists from Queensland University of Technology recently visited the Northern Peninsula Area and provided free eye tests for children. “The aim was to provide a service to the kids to do comprehensive vision testing and to understand the extent of any uncorrected vision problems that may be in the community,” said Dr Scott Read, Associate Professor at QUT’s School of Optometry and Vision Science.

Farmers are being urged to touch base with a Rural Aid counsellor for a mental wellbeing check-in, as mouse plagues continue to ravage rural communities. Rural Aid CEO John Warlters has urged primary producers to get in touch with Rural Aid. “Rural Aid can help farmers with a range of measures including financial, fodder and mental wellbeing assistance,” Mr Warlters said.

Residents will be able to be active at night under light from May 17 up to the start of daylight savings on September 25 as part of a pilot Lighting Up Ewing Park activation project by the City of Greater Bendigo. Through the initiative the City will turn on the new Ewing Park LED training lights from 6 pm to 8pm seven days per week to provide opportunities for residents to be active at the reserve at night under light.

Kirstin Nicholson. “I have a special interest in the work that’s gone on in Victorian health, particularly around the ‘Safer Care Victoria’, and I think that’s moving all of us in a much better and safer direction. Also, I like that the governing bodies are really local. They know their patients, they know their people and they know the community needs. And then they hold us to account to deliver it," Bernadette Loughnane, the new CEO of Cohuna District Hospital.

Emma Pritchard. He spoke so passionately about his work with Clarence Valley youths, Jeremy Jablonski had to pause several times as the emotion of the occasion overwhelmed him. Mr Jablonski, a youth hub coordinator with the New School of Arts Neighbourhood Centre Inc, was among a small crowd which gathered at Fisher Park in Grafton on April 28 to welcome The Honourable Bronnie Taylor, Minister for Mental Health, Regional Youth and Woman, and Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis as they officially launched the Clarence Valley Youth Hubs, made possible through Round 3 of the Stronger Country Communities Fund.

Weipa's first CT scanner is just weeks away from being turned on as the Cape’s biggest hospital undergoes major renovations. The hospital also has a new pharmacy and renal dialysis unit as part of an $8 million funding commitment from the state government.

Member for Cook Cynthia Lui said the relocation and upgrading of the pharmacy and renal dialysis unit was completed last month.

Death or blindness. It’s not a choice anyone would want. But it may be Steve Sun’s only option. He’ll find out after his next brain tumour scan in June. After that, he faces the reality of doctors operating on his tumour – an operation that will leave him blind. If they don’t operate, he is likely to die.

With power out throughout the Midwest and extensive damage to properties in the region, the City of Greater Geraldton is reminding people to be cautious of food safety and to be asbestos aware.

For 90 years paramedics have operated from the pale brick building on Centre St in Casino. Richmond Valley mayor Robert Mustow said he’d been to the station “a few times as a young boy to get stitched up.” All that is about to change after an announcement on Friday about a modern ambulance station to replace it ... Paramedic Hayley Hemmings said they had outgrown the station: “The new station will have a lot more infrastructure, new equipment and training spaces”.

Geoff Helisma. Brisbane-based company, Go Ahead Enterprises Pty Ltd, is proposing to build the two-storey building at 17 Coldstream Street at an estimated cost of $2,002,377.30. Eighteen car parking spaces will be provided on site: six spaces for the residential units – one space per dwelling plus two visitor spaces; 7.26 spaces for the chemist (one per 30m2); and, 4.3 spaces for the medical centre (one per 30m2). The proposal’s economic and social impacts statement states that the development “will make a significant contribution to the town of Yamba through the addition of valuable essential services to the local area.

Catherine Grimley. You may see a few teal ribbons being worn during April, and the reason for that is Sexual Assault Awareness month, now in its 20th year, and just as topical as it has ever been. Tennant Creek Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) kicked the month off at the Hospital with a BBQ, cake and conversations that will hopefully carry on beyond this month.

Marnie Sutton received the Remote Worker for Communities award in the female category of the 2021 National Indigenous and Alcohol Conference recently. The award recognises the unique challenges facing workers in remote locations and making an important commitment to contributing to reducing the harmful effects of drug and alcohol use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over at least five years.

The vaccination rollout across the remote reaches of the Torres Strait has been made easier thanks to the generosity of Skytrans. The airline has committed to supporting the vaccination rollout by transporting vaccines and supplies for free across the region to all locations serviced by the airline on Cape York and the Torres Strait.