Māori residents are participating in the Southern DHB's national bowel screening programme in higher numbers than other locals.
Programme manager Emma Bell says Māori participation rates have equalled or exceeded overall participation every month since the programme began in April 2018.
She credits strong partnerships forged between programme and community-based Māori health providers for what could be the highest indigenous participation of any national bowel screening programme in the world.
The Māori participation rate at the end of April 2019 was 72 percent, which was the same as the overall southern participation rate and compares with the national participation rate of 62 percent and the national Māori rate of 56 percent.
Tracey Wright-Tawha from provider Ngā Kete Mātauranga Pounamu says connections and relationships are vital, and a number of Māori community members have become bowel screening champions.
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