Questions raised after Asian women lowered in priority for cervical screening

There are calls to make the National Cervical Screening Programme fully funded by the government. Photo /123RF

By RNZ

A health advocacy group says dropping Asian women as a priority group for the National Cervical Screening Programme is a step in the wrong direction.

The Federation of Women’s Health Councils said it found out about the move after hearing from people with information and reading the minutes of an advisory and action group.

Co-convenor Barbara Robson said historically Asian women have been a priority, along with Māori and Pacific women, and the move doesn’t make sense when there are just as many Asian as Pacific women (40,000 for each cohort for February this year) who need to be screened to achieve equity.

“We believe that Asian women should be informed of the decision that’s being made and provided with the justification for making the decision.”

Robson said the National Screening Unit has a duty to Asian women to make the decision public, along with the report of a Clinical Oversight Group, which might have informed the decision.

“The NSU continuing to withhold this information from Asian women is unwise.

“It risks a backlash and loss of trust which is potentially counterproductive.”

Robson said this could be avoided if the screening programme was fully funded by the government.

She said her group, along with others, have been advocating for this for years but it has never been eventuated.

“If we can’t have everyone fully funded, we make an effort to get more women accessing free screening,” she said, adding that refugee women and others who had financial hardship should be included in the programme.

Te Whatu Ora was unable to respond this afternoon.