The National Cervical Screening Programme campaign image features women from around the Pacific wearing traditional wear from their respective motherlands. Photo / NCSP
The National Cervical Screening Programme campaign image features women from around the Pacific wearing traditional wear from their respective motherlands. Photo / NCSP
Pasifika women are being urged to get involved in a new campaign that will help boost cervical screening rates - and ultimately help save lives.
Health authorities have launched Mission 1000 - a Pacific cervical screening drive that will initially see 1000 women of Pasifika descent signed up to try a new self-test that is being tipped to be an easier way to screen for cervical cancer.
The test will look for the presence of HPV (Human Papillomavirus), which causes nearly all cervical cancers.
Allowing women to carry out the tests themselves, in privacy, at a clinic or community health setting is also something health officials behind the campaign hope will get more Pacific women tested - acknowledging cultural protocols and giving women a choice.
Support to screen provider Epifania Leo’o said: “Our women are so busy looking after everyone else that many don’t take time to look after themselves.
“This campaign gives them a moment to rest, learn about their choice and let our trained healthcare workers take care of them.”
Leo’o said Pasifika had some of the lowest cervical screening rates in the country - but that the self-test could change that as it was quicker and easier.
She will be among those at the official campaign launch in Wellington on Saturday, where free health checks will be offered - as well as manicures.
Have you had your cervical screening yet? In order to prevent you from developing Cervical Cancer, we have a great Cervical Screening programme available. I know a lot of women dislike having to get a smear done because it's quite invasive and needs to be done by a doctor or nurse. Well guess what? I have some great news for you. From 12 September 2023 there will be a new HPV self-test available to pick up a virus known as HPV that can lead to Cervical Cancer and if you're high risk you will be referred directly to the specialist and get treated early. This will be available at all your GP clinics and some Māori and Pacific health providers. However if you are due a smear, please do not delay and get it done sooner. If you aren't due and these are out by the time you need it done, this will be an absolute game changer for us all. 😍 Get screened and avoid getting Cervical cancer. #cervicalscreening#hpvselftest#hpvtesting#nz
Prescott has attracted a hhuge following on the social media platform - with almost 84,000 followers and 3.3 million likes - posting videos about keeping healthy, health statistics and life as a general practitioner.
The latest figures for cervical screening rates, released by the National Screening Unit, show Pasifika are nearly 12 per cent lower than mainstream groups.
Pasifika mothers, daughters, wives urged to get tested to save lives
Pasifika women are more likely to get cervical cancer and twice as likely to die from it in comparison to European women.
Officials said although cervical screening - along with HPV vaccination - had significantly reduced cervical cancer in New Zealand, overall, around 180 people developed the disease each year.
Up to 60 people from the disease every year in New Zealand.
The National Cervical Screening Programme campaign image features women from around the Pacific wearing traditional wear from their respective motherlands. Photo / NCSP
Another figure showed 85 per cent of those people diagnosed with cervical cancer in New Zealand had either not had regular screening or had never been screened in their life.
Te Whatu Ora’s regional director for Pacific Health, Harriet Pauga, acknowledged the barriers that sometimes stopped Pasifika from getting such tests.
She urged Pasifika women to take part in the campaign and to get tested, as it would save lives.
“We know that Pacific people face inequities and cost barriers in accessing cervical screening services. To reduce those barriers, cervical screening is now free for Pacific people and other under-screen groups.
“Coupled with the new and less invasive HPV self-test and a screening campaign that was designed specifically for Pacific people, we are confident that screening rates will improve and ultimately save lives.”
The Pacific Cervical Screening campaign will officially be launched on Saturday at the Pacific Islanders’ Presbyterian Church Newtown church hall on Daniell St in Newtown, Wellington, at 9am.
