Hei Āhuru Mōwai, the Māori Cancer Leadership Board, says achieving equitable cancer care for Māori is an urgent
priority. Chair, Dr Nina Scott says that while the new National Cancer Plan is promising, the group believes that
accelerated Maori partnership is critical to ensure the plan can be translated into action.
Hei Āhuru Mōwai worked in partnership with the Health Ministry to develop the National Cancer Plan and led discussion at
the "National Cancer at the Crossroads" conference to set out foundational expectations; including the ‘Survival Equity
2030’ goal. The Hei Āhuru Mōwai Board led an anti-racism in cancer workshop and advised on including anti-racism in the
Plan. Hei Āhuru Mōwai celebrates content of the Plan, including whānau centered care guidelines and the matauranga Māori
knowledge framework and believe that Māori whānau experiencing cancer will see themselves acknowledged in the Plan. The
Board says that the new National Cancer plan is an essential first step and that a demonstrated commitment to
partnership is needed to ensure cancer survival equity is achieved for Māori by 2030.
Dr Scott says that to be truly effective, partnership between Māori and other cancer leaders must be accelerated and
that this must include equal decision making power for Maori at the National Cancer Agency. She says that it is crucial
that governance structures are put in place to ensure the plan can be put into action by the thousands people working at
every step of the cancer pathway including prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, palliative care, policy and
research.
Hei Āhuru Mōwai remain committed to ensuring that Māori can work in a true Treaty partnership with other cancer leaders
and look forward to working with the new national agency to help guide implementation, monitoring and accountability of
the Plan.