Aotearoa has the tools, technology, and expertise to eliminate cervical cancer, but a lack of political commitment is holding back progress on a screening programme that could save lives and close long-standing inequities.
Professor Andrew Shelling says the most urgent step for government leaders this year is to fully fund and prioritise a nationwide cervical screening system that reaches every community, particularly wāhine Māori and Pacific women who continue to face the highest burden of disease. Without that commitment, gaps in access and outcomes will persist.
The current system is under pressure across multiple areas, with workforce shortages, limited laboratory capacity, inconsistent outreach, and weak follow-up care all contributing to missed opportunities for early detection. These gaps mean too many women are either not screened at all or are lost in the system after initial contact. Responsibility sits across government agencies, health authorities, and service providers to ensure these failures are addressed with urgency.
Experts say sustained, long-term investment is essential to eliminate cervical cancer, with funding needed not just for screening tests, but for workforce development, community outreach, data systems, and timely treatment pathways. With the right investment in place now, significant reductions in cervical cancer cases and deaths could be seen within a few years, with long-term elimination within reach.
A key part of that strategy is stronger partnership with Māori and Pacific providers, who are best placed to deliver culturally appropriate care and improve screening uptake. Empowering these providers with resources and decision-making authority is seen as critical to reducing inequities and ensuring early detection becomes standard practice across all communities.
The pathway to elimination is clear, but without decisive action and funding, the opportunity to prevent avoidable deaths risks being delayed.
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