November 04, 2022
Telehealth abortion service launched
Associate Health Minister Ayesha Verrall says she’s keen to work more closely with Maori on the development of appropriate abortion services.
This week the Government has launched a new free telehealth service which will make it easier for women to access medication for a medical abortion in their first 10 weeks of pregnancy.
The DECIDE service will connect callers to a health practitioner over the phone who can help guide someone through the process of an early medical abortion.
Dr Verrall says while there was Maori representation on the project team, and the Maori Health Authority is involved in the development of the abortion work plan, it’s not intended as a kaupapa Maori service
“That is still options we have to develop as we continue strengthening abortion services and that opportunity to do that is as we improve the ability of primary care services to offer abortion. That would create an avenue for many Maori providers to step into that space if they wanted,” she says.
The abortion medicine mifepristone this week became available on prescription.