8. MARYAN STREET (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Has he received any reports on the success of the BreastScreen Aotearoa programme?
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister of Health) Link to this
Yes, I have. This Labour-led Government almost doubled the number of women eligible for free breast-screening 3 years ago. In 2003, 102,000 women were screened. Last year 170,000 women were screened. That is what we get when we invest in health, rather than offering misleading promises of better health on the basis of a lower investment.
It has done so because the capacity of facilities to undertake breast screening is growing even faster than the uptake of the programme, which is itself rising by more than 20 percent a year. This Labour-led Government has opened new facilities up and down the country, and has a total of 11 mobile units now purchased and operating. We want women to make use of those services, because screening saves lives.
Dr Jackie BlueWhat is the coverage rate for women aged 45 to 49 years who participate in BreastScreen Aotearoa, and how does that figure compare with the coverage rate for Māori women in the same age group?