Cervical Screening Plays Vital Role, Despite Controversy

Opposition Leader and former Health Minister Jenny Shipley is urging women to heed the statistics confirming a decrease in the rate of cervical cancer since the introduction of the nationwide cervical screening programme.

The latest edition of the annual Ministry of Health publication Health Targets shows that the number of women developing cervical cancer has steadily declined since the screening programme was introduced.

"The programme has attracted substantial negative publicity as a result of the Gisborne inquiry, and those concerns must be sorted out. But people should not overlook the fact that the programme is already helping to save the lives of many New Zealand women.

"I encourage women to continue participating in the cervical screening programme. It is playing an important role in improving the health of New Zealand women," Mrs Shipley said

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