Cervical Screening Week

Health Minister Bill English today called for the success of the national cervical screening programme in reaching younger women to be replicated for older women.

Marking the start of the nation-wide promotional week for the National Cervical Screening Programme, Mr English said cervical cancer was in many instances an unnecessarily killer. It is important we get the message to all women over the age of 20 years that regular screening can save lives.

"The message seems to be getting to younger women. GPs and women's health providers are also doing a good job of catching these women when they see them for other reasons such as their own or their children's health needs.

Nine out of every ten women aged between 25 and 39 are on the register and being regularly screened. However, the picture is less impressive for older women, particularly for women over the age of 60," he said.

"The figures show a fall in both the number of women diagnosed with the disease and the number of women dying from cervical cancer following the introduction of the programme in 1990.