National Bowel Screening Programme rolling out in Whanganui by the end of the year

Whanganui District Health Board bowel screening project manager Ben McMenamin at Marton's Te Kotuku Hauora where he gave a presentation on the Programme coming to Whanganui. Photo / Supplied

The free National Bowel Screening Programme will be in Whanganui by the end of the year.

The launch of the national programme follows the successful six-year pilot run by the Waitemata District Health Board that will offer free screening to men and women aged 60 to 74 years who are eligible for publicly funded healthcare.

Whanganui District Health Board said it anticipated 25 cases of bowel cancer will be identified in the first two years of the screening programme and that many of these will be in the early stages.

It is estimated for every 1000 people screened, 50 will be positive and 500 to 700 cancers can be expected to be detected every year once the programme is fully rolled out in June 2021.

When fully implemented more than 700,000 nationwide will be invited to take part in the programme every two years.

Bowel cancer is more common in men than women and for those aged over 60.

The Ministry of Health said a screening every two years can help save lives by finding bowel cancer early and can often be successfully treated.

Eight district health boards currently offer the screening with Hutt Valley and Wairarapa being the first to jump on board in 2017.

On July 19, Whanganui District Health Board bowel screening project manager Ben McMenamin gave a presentation at Marton's Maori health provider Te Kotuku Hauora about the programme.

McMenamin spoke about the dangers of bowel cancer and the ways in which the risk could be minimised.

McMenamin also gave a tour through a giant inflatable bowel during his presentation that stressed the need for exercising, having a healthy diet and being smokefree.

Bowel Cancer is the second biggest cancer killer in New Zealand, with more than 1200 dying from the cancer every year.