Cancer report welcomed but no detailed plan yet

WELLINGTON: Health Minister Andrew Little says the Cancer Control Agency report is a ‘‘benchmark’’ for funding decisions, but he is not able to say what resources will go to cancer care.

The first report from the country’s new Cancer Control Agency highlights Maori are still twice as likely as nonMaori to die from the disease.

The agency, set up in 2019, has found cancer survival rates for all ethnicities have improved over the past 20 years but not as quickly as in other highincome countries.

About 25,000 people are diagnosed with cancer each year in New Zealand, of whom nearly 3000 are Maori.

Maori are 20% more likely to develop cancer, and twice as likely as nonMaori to die from it.

Cancer Society chief medical officer Chris Jackson has said government funding of primary care, treatment and screening programmes had been allowed to drift over the past 15 years.

Mr Little said the agency’s report was a longneeded stocktake on cancer treatment in New Zealand.

‘‘It gives us a benchmark now from which we can work up cancer strategies and funding for cancers as we make general reforms to the health system.’’

Mr Little said yesterday the Government would put more money into many areas of health, but was not able to say how much would go to cancer treatment.

‘‘I can’t say specifically what is going to happen in different areas, different demands for additional health services.

‘‘At the moment we are putting together our decisions on broader health reforms.

‘‘We will put more money into a whole heap of areas.’’

Mr Little said the Government’s track record was to put more money into funding health generally, including cancer treatment.

‘‘At the moment, the priority is the broader health reforms so that we have a better structure within which decisions are made so . . . where you are in the country doesn’t determine what level of cancer treatment and healthcare that you get. And then we deal with the funding issues that follow that.’’

Mr Little agreed New Zealand was behind Australia in cancer care, as the report said.

He noted one of the recommendations to the Government was for a Maori health authority, and said there was a ‘‘massive workforce planning challenge’’, including for more Maori practitioners.

The agency’s report said less than 4% of those involved directly in cancer care identify as Maori. — RNZ