Pacific health risk: Australia’s Smart Traveller warns tourists about dengue in Samoa, urging mosquito bite protection; it notes no vaccine for first infection and highlights the need for careful eligibility for secondary-infection prevention. Workforce health & rights: A new poll on PALM workers’ conditions says many Australians support letting Pacific workers leave underpaying employers, with concerns about low take-home pay after deductions and limited access to Medicare and decent housing. Hospital safety: A NSW inquiry calls for Calvary Mater Hospital to return to public control after reports of mould, maggots, humidity issues during surgery, and alleged falsified maintenance records. Vanuatu-linked regional ties: India’s External Affairs Minister sent Independence Day greetings to Vanuatu and pointed to an IT and healthcare-focused Centre of Excellence supporting local capacity. Maternal & child health: In Victoria, a council hands maternal and child health services back to the state, raising worries about losing community-based support for new parents. Vaccine rollout in the region: PNG launched the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine at Port Moresby General Hospital for adults, with vaccination described as voluntary but limited by available alternatives. Ocean health: Pacific countries reviewed progress under SWAP2, a regional waste and pollution project including Vanuatu, aiming to improve waste infrastructure and reduce marine litter.