The Government's decision to redirect funding away from targeted bowel cancer screening for Māori and Pacific Peoples will be concerning for pakeke (elders), their whānau and our mokopuna, says Ngāti Pāoa Health and Social Service, E Tipu E Rea. Health Minister Simeon Brown has announced a drop in the screening age from 60 to 58, with a long-term goal of aligning with Australia's 45. However, this will be funded by repurposing $36 million previously allocated to lower the age to 50 for Māori and Pacific People. Māori are at a higher risk of dying younger from bowel cancer, and the need for earlier screening is critical to improving health outcomes.

Zoe Witika Hawke (Ngāti Pāoa, Ngāti Hako), CEO of E Tipu E Rea, encourages the Health Minister to reconsider the decision, or to find other ways to resource Māori to get screened earlier to avoid the negative impacts felt intergenerationally by parents and their mokopuna who sadly could end up living without the support of their pakeke. “Our pakeke are the pillars of our whānau. Without targeted access to early bowel cancer screening, we know that our pakeke will be lost too soon, robbing parents from the vital support that grandparents often provide, and mokopuna from their care, cultural knowledge and wisdom”.

E Tipu E Rea understands and supports the need to care for everyone, but also questions the redirection of targeted funding for Māori and Pacific People. Targeted funding ensures our elders have access to early screening and keeps them in our lives for longer. “This policy decision also might not have considered the health outcomes of our tamariki during their first 2,000 days—a priority for this Government. In our health and social services, we have a strong focus on the first 2,000 days of our babies’ lives, and we see first-hand the positive impact on mokopuna when they have access to the care and wisdom of their kuia and koroua.” Witika- Hawke concludes “The first 2,000 days are a crucial period for development and long-term wellbeing. When our pakeke are healthy and present, they play an essential role in supporting parents and their mokopuna, ensuring strong intergenerational connections and lifelong positive outcomes in health, education, employment, and housing. Without that support for longer from our pakeke, we are concerned about the future wellbeing of our tamariki and whānau.”

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