Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
Te Tātai Hauora o Hine—National Centre for Women’s Health Research Aotearoa at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington says tonight’s announcement by the Government that it will make cervical cancer screening freely available to all women aged between 25 and 69 is a “big win.”
“Thank you to everybody who worked so hard to achieve this, both within the communities and within Government,” says Professor Bev Lawton (Ngāti Porou), director of the Centre, who was also named 2025 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year for her work including championing of the HPV self-test.
“People have been telling us for a long time that financial cost is a major barrier to cervical screening. Up until this point, this has been the only national screening programme not funded by the government.”
Professor Lawton and Francesca Storey wrote this piece for The Conversation in January 2025, about how to achieve elimination of cervical cancer in Aotearoa in our lifetime.
Each year, approximately 175 people are diagnosed with cervical cancer in Aotearoa and 55 die from this preventable cancer. “We hope the funding from government will also consider better resourcing for colposcopy clinics, where follow-up diagnostic tests are undertaken, and where there is real need right now,” says Professor Lawton.
To achieve elimination of cervical cancer requires effective prevention (the HPV vaccination), high screening rates, and prompt diagnosis and treatment. “While this announcement of free screening is fantastic, the elimination still requires resourcing, transparency and accountability. This is the only way to prevent our population suffering preventable harm and death,” says Professor Lawton.
An equitable cervical cancer elimination strategy and action plan in Aotearoa with community-led governance, ownership, and funding is essential. “Only then can we achieve the ultimate goal—elimination of cervical cancer. Let’s do it!”
Te Herenga Waka Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Sally McArthur, says that this announcement reflects the value of research on policy planning. “Without researchers like Bev and her team, governments don’t have the evidence to be able to create effective policy.
“Great research continually impacts policy development and implementation, and I am delighted for all kiwis that we have such impactful research coming from our University.”