Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern​ has been criticised for failing to acknowledge New Zealand’s cervical cancer screening programme left Māori women vulnerable to the disease, following the diagnosis of MP Kiri Allan​. An editorial in international medical journal The Lancet Oncology​ headed “Cervical cancer screening and New Zealand's uncomfortable truths” said despite low uptake of cervical cancer screening by Māori women, New Zealand had been too slow to adopt more culturally appropriate approaches including HPV self-testing. READ MORE:* Self-testing for cervical cancer could reduce inequities for Māori, Pasifika and Asian communities, study shows* GPs call for HPV self-tests as current cancer screening not as good 'as it could be'* Self-testing kits for HPV cervical screening could help save lives, so why aren't we using them? Dom Thomas/RNZ Minister Kiri Allan’s resignation after a diagnosis of stage 3 cervical cancer has highlighted New Zealand’s flawed screening programme. Māori women were a third less likely to attend cervical cancer screening and more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with, and die from, cervical cancer than European women.

Source: Stuff April 30, 2021 07:43 UTC