After committing to a global plan to eliminate cervical cancer, New Zealand is lagging behind Australia and other countries in how it manages this preventable disease.
Each year approximately 175 New Zealanders are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 55 people die from it.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the cause of 95% of cervical cancers and some throat and anal cancers. New Zealand has a very effective vaccine against this cancer. And HPV screening can detect changes on the cervix before cancer occurs.
