Cancer screening programmes get Budget upgrade
10 May 2021 13:21 PM
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A new self-administered test is expected to boost the participation of wāhine Māori in programmes to pick up cervical cancer at an early stage.
Associate Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall says next week’s Budget will include funding of up to $53 million to complete the design of and implement a new test for human papilloma virus, which causes 99 percent of cervical cancers.
The new HPV test is a simple swab women can do themselves, and will replace the current smear test.
Dr Verral says it will be more acceptable to those wāhine Māori who are not in the National Cervical Screening Programme, often because of the time, cost and whakamā associated with taking the smear test.