Breast Screening: Cook Islands women are being urged to book mammograms as the 2026 Breast Screening Programme runs from Monday, July 20 to Friday, August 7 at Rarotonga Hospital, with the service delivered in partnership with Te Marae Ora Ministry of Health, the Cook Islands Breast Cancer Foundation and BreastScreen Australia. Mental Health & Development: Cook Islands mental health specialists warn early childhood trauma can permanently alter brain development, linking infancy adversity to later behavioural and learning challenges. Workplace Health: A new healthy workplace policy is being rolled out across the Cook Islands public sector to tackle non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and mental health conditions. Health Access: Te Marae Ora’s Patient Referral Policy 2026 expands eligibility for referrals, including permanent returning Cook Islanders (no 12-month stand-down), contract expatriate workers after six months, and Permanent Resident certificate holders. Workforce Boost: The University of Auckland’s School of Nursing is strengthening the Cook Islands health workforce with advanced clinical training for local nurses and ongoing Pacific partnerships. Vaccination Watch: A WHO-UNICEF report says many Pacific countries struggle to hit 90% childhood vaccination targets, with Cook Islands meeting most vaccine types but missing some doses in 2025. Prevention in Politics: Fitness trainer Chris Denny has entered the 2026 elections with a platform focused on prevention and accountability. Citizenship Test (NZ): New Zealand’s planned citizenship test is set for in-person delivery rather than online, with documents citing concerns about cheating and test integrity.