The rollout of a national bowel cancer screening programme has stalled and the government will consider seeking advice

The rollout of the national bowel cancer screening programme has apparently reached a standstill, much to the concern of the charity that provides support.

Two years ago the Labor Government announced $36 million to lower the age at which Māori and Pacific people can start bowel screening from 60 to 50.

The program is set to be tested in selected regions in the second half of 2022, with a wider rollout scheduled for July 2023.

But more than 18 months later, just three regional health authorities – Te Whatu Ora Waikato, Te Whatu Ora Tairāwhiti and Te Whatu Ora Midcentral – are the only regional health authorities inviting Māori and Pasifika people for screening from the age of 50.

Bowel Cancer New Zealand medical adviser Professor Sue Crengle said the issue was concerning because a higher proportion of Māori people develop bowel cancer before the age of 60 (21 per cent of cases) than people of other ethnicities (10 per cent of cases).

Similar numbers were seen among Pacific Islanders, she added.

“Bowel Cancer New Zealand wants to know if Te Whatu Ora plans to complete the rollout urgently or if this was just a token effort across the three regions.

“Action is needed because too many Māori and Pacific people are dying who would have a fighting chance if they had been isolated from the rest of society before the age of 50.

“A clear timeline and accountability from Health New Zealand is needed to prevent further widening of health inequalities.”

Crengle said it was “pleasing” to learn that the National Bowel Screening Program had distributed more than two million home screening kits across Aotearoa, detecting 2495 cases of cancer.

Health Minister Shane Reti said in a statement to RNZ that $36 million to lower the bowel screening age for Māori and Pacific people “was allocated by the previous government as part of the 2022 Budget”.

He added that the policy was still being evaluated.

“This government remains committed to lowering the age of bowel screening for all New Zealanders, as we have campaigned on. I expect to receive advice on how to achieve this in the coming months.”

Te Whatu Ora prevention director Alana Ewe-Snow said a nationwide expansion of bowel screening to all districts required ministerial approval.

“It did not receive ministerial approval before the 2023 elections. The initial project timeline that was released in connection with implementation is no longer up to date.”

Health New Zealand is working with partner agencies in the coming months to advise on expanding the bowel screening programme across the country, she said.

But Crengle said the evidence is already clear.

“If bowel cancer screening for Māori started from the age of 50, more whānau would not have to go through the stress of an advanced diagnosis.”