Pacific women encouraged to take part in cervical screening

Pacific women in Otago are being encouraged to take part in cervical screening in Dunedin on Tuesday.

The clinic at Pacific Trust Otago in South Dunedin is part of Cervical Screening Awareness Month and has been organised in partnership with Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora and WellSouth.

It aims to continue to raise awareness about the introduction of self-testing, with most people now able to complete a test themselves in private.

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, yet about 180 New Zealanders are diagnosed with the disease every year, and about 60 people die from it.

Dr Jane O’Hallahan, Health NZ Screening Clinical Lead for the National Public Health Service, says recent campaigns tailored towards Māori and Pacific communities have been extremely successful.

“We have reached over 800,000 people through advertising, had 100,000 people engage with website information, and distributed 400,000 educational resources,” Dr O’Hallahan says.

The National Cervical Screening Programme, run by Health New Zealand, introduced human papillomavirus (HPV) primary screening for cervical cancer in September last year. HPV is the cause of 95 percent of all cancers.

HPV screening includes the option of completing a self-test, by collecting a vaginal swab sample. People can choose to have their healthcare provider take the sample.

The HPV test replaced the “smear test” as the primary test for cervical screening, although the option of a cervical sample taken by a healthcare provider is still available.

Dr O’Hallahan says the introduction of the HPV self-test aims to reach more people and save more lives.

As of July this year, overall screening coverage nationwide was around 70 percent, compared to around 67 percent in July last year. In Southern, overall screening rates increased from 70.5 percent in July last year to 73.6 percent this year, while coverage among Pacific women increased from 61.4 percent to 72.1 percent.

New Zealand has a target of more than 80 percent of people aged between 25 and 69 with a cervix being regularly screened.

Māori, Pacific peoples, Community Service Card holders, and unscreened or under-screened people are eligible for free screening. Follow-up testing is also free for everyone.

“About four out of five adults will have human papillomavirus (HPV) in their lifetime,” Dr O’Hallahan says.

“While the body is pretty good at clearing up the virus, sometimes it can develop into cervical cancer. “

Dr O’Hallahan says the less invasive self-test has been incredibly popular, with more than 80 percent of women who have been screened over the past year opting to self-test.

She says about 85 percent of people who develop cervical cancer in New Zealand have either never been screened or have not had regular screening.

“The best way to protect against cervical cancer is by having HPV immunisation and regular cervical screening,” Dr O’Hallahan says.

“HPV immunisation is free for all people aged between 9 and 26. Screening is recommended for eligible people between aged between 25 and 69.”

People can find out if they are eligible by phoning 0800 729 729, or this can be checked on the day.