Wellington, Sept 3 NZPA - Two GPs are warning that doctors need to be prepared for a wave of new ailments this century caused by climate change, including more accidents, gastroenteritis, skin cancer, depression and dengue fever.

An innovative approach to monitoring the health risk of alcohol use for patients was outlined at the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) conference in Christchurch today (Friday September 3).

Jeremy Burfoot, Travis Donoghue and Ivan Otulic from The Ultimate Ride team were on Tuesday rescued by a Greek Air Force helicopter about 60km south-east of Santorini in the Aegean Sea.

The recreational scallop season opens today for the Auckland and Kermadec Fishery Management Area, and NIWA scientists are calling for help from scallop fishers to return tagged scallops.

Today the Minister of Health released the fourth quarter results of the health targets introduced as a way of improving the performance of health services. The targets provide the health sector, both secondary and primary, with a clear focus for action.

The recently renovated Emergency Department (ED) at Tauranga Hospital includes three resuscitation bays, one procedure room and an isolation room. The renovations are designed to assist the treatment of critically injured people.

Thank you for the opportunity to address this gathering, and thank you to Nigel Kirkpatrick, chair of EDANZ for your introduction.

I also wish to acknowledge Samantha Seath, executive director of EDANZ.

New Zealand educational charity Hector's World' has joined with Google to create a new online resource, the Hector's World "Tech Cave", which empowers Kiwi children to teach themselves and their communities about technology.

Two Waikato primary health organisations worked tirelessly to immunise eligible two-year-olds and their 100 per cent strike rate helped the Waikato District Health Board achieve its immunisation health target and get an "outstanding" mark from the Health Ministry.

An injured tramper was winched out of dense bush today and airlifted to hospital by the Wellington based Westpac Rescue Helicopter.