E Tipu E Rea Whānau Services welcome the introduction of the HPV Self Test kits that have become available nationwide.
The accessibility and ease of use of these kits will be a game changer for many of the whānau we work alongside. One of
the barriers that our whānau have faced within the healthcare system is feeling safe enough to undergo a cervical smear.
When whānau have complex histories and needs, more often than not we have seen people who have never had a smear or who
have had one and never gone back because of the underlying complexities they face. These kits will make a big difference
in their ability to choose to take part in a testing regime that feels safe and give them peace of mind for their future
and that of their whānau.
CEO Zoe Hawke says "It is these sorts of targeted approaches to healthcare for our whānau that will make all the
difference down the line in terms of healthcare resourcing, economic benefits as well as the obvious benefit of catching
diseases before they become unmanageable. This is the upstream health promotion and prevention that we all deserve".