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The Cancer Society says it is “time to get serious” about women’s health as a parliamentary review once again calls for free cervical screening.
This follows the response of Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand (HNZ) to the fourth parliamentary review of the National Cervical Screening Programme, HNZ warning it could not provide a free screening programme without more funding.
Otago and Southland acting chief executive Nicola Coom said the society supported the review in urging for free screening and a treatment pathway.
It was not reassuring to hear HNZ had not budgeted for this, she said.
“If our national health system can’t budget for a free screening programme that they know saves lives, then perhaps it’s time someone else took over their budget.
“It’s time to get serious about women’s health and increase access to both the HPV vaccine and screening programmes.”
The review was carried out last year and released last month.
It contained 31 recommendations, including a reiteration of the 2018 review recommendation that cervical screening should be free for all.
“Cost barriers perpetuate cervical cancer inequities that breach Te Tiriti o Waitangi responsibilities,” the report said.
In line with all other cancer screening programmes in New Zealand, it recommended providing a fully funded cervical screening programme by next year.
“Currently available free screening funding falls short of requirements to reach all priority people, and the method of allocation creates confusion for some service providers.”
There had been a steady improvement in cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates since the screening programme began, but in the past few years results had plateaued, and had even declined in some areas.
All recommendations were made in the context of the imminent shift from cervical smears to the option of HPV self-testing later this year.
The report also described the “considerable impact” of the Covid-19 pandemic, during which about 30,000 young people did not get a HPV vaccination.
HNZ said it accepted the recommendations, but needed more funding to implement some of them — especially the provision of free screening.
“The NCSP is continually working to identify opportunities to secure this additional funding,” it said in a review response document.
“Now that the report has been published, we will undertake a consultation and engagement process with our partners across the health system, including with key external representatives.”
This would result in a finalised action plan later this year.
By Fiona Ellis
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