* Regional Australians face stark inequality compared to those living in cities * They have lower incomes and wealth with much higher unemployment rates * Access to and quality of education is poorer and many can't afford university * Life expectancy is two years lower and chronic disease rates are higher * Some areas have so few basic services they're 'like a third world country

The United Nations has called on Australia to immediately evacuate its offshore detention centres to prevent an unfolding health crisis. Doctors from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) were ejected from Nauru on Wednesday and the UN high commissioner for refugees has warned that many asylum seekers who have attempted self-harm or have critical health issues now have no access to medical care.

Australia’s chief medical officer has backed moves to protect patients and safeguard the sustainability of the health system against the growing problem of too much medicine. Overdiagnosis is exposing healthy people to tests and treatments that are at best useless, and at worst trigger aggressive procedures with devastating side effects, a formidable alliance of peak doctors colleges, researchers, advocates and public health experts warned.

Bellevue Asset Management’s BB Healthcare Trust (LSE: BBH) has its executive board is filled with medical experts including one of the world’s top oncologists. It uses a bottom-up stock selection method, and has a relatively concentrated portfolio with a maximum of 35 companies.