Most New Zealand women now choose to test themselves for HPV, and the country has set out a plan to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040. Screening will be free for eligible women aged 25 to 69 from 1 March 2027.
Two years after New Zealand switched to HPV testing for cervical screening, more than 730,000 people had chosen to screen. Some 81% of them took a self-test, Health New Zealand reported. Alana Ewe-Snow, its Director of Prevention Screening, said: “Self-testing provides options for women. This is making a difference.”
New Zealand’s government now has a national plan to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040. Launched on 1 September 2026, it sets a goal of fewer than four cases per 100,000 women a year. About 179 people are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and about 52 die, says Te Aho o Te Kahu, the national cancer control agency.
Free screening for women aged 25 to 69 from March 2027
Ministers announced that cervical screening will be free for eligible women aged 25 to 69 from 1 March 2027. Around 55% of eligible women currently pay, with appointments costing from NZ$35 to more than NZ$100. The government estimates about 786,000 additional women will qualify.
Simeon Brown, the Minister of Health, said: “That cost can be a barrier, including for younger women, who have the lowest screening rates of any age group.”
Nicola Coom, chief executive of the Cancer Society NZ, welcomed the announcement. “Making screening free removes a very real barrier, and having a national elimination plan gives us a pathway,” she said.
Targets for vaccination, screening and colposcopy
HPV, the human papillomavirus, causes almost all cervical cancers. By 2035, the plan wants 90% of young people to receive at least one dose of the HPV vaccine by age 15. Coverage stood at 69% in June 2026. By 2030, 80% of eligible people should be up to date with screening, against 77% now.
Colposcopy is a close examination of the cervix after a positive test. By 2030, 80% of people referred should have one within 30 working days, up from 67% today. The plan also sets a goal of treating 90% of high-grade pre-cancerous changes within 40 working days.
Māori, Pacific and younger women carry more of the burden
Māori, Pacific peoples and people in high-deprivation areas have higher cervical cancer rates and poorer outcomes, the plan says. Vaccination is lower among young adults, Māori, Pacific peoples and people in deprived areas. Screening participation is lower among young adults, Māori and Asian peoples.
About 91% of women survive when the cancer is found early, the government release says. Once it has spread, survival falls to about 19%.
Getting screened before the March 2027 change
Māori and Pacific women aged 25 to 69 can already screen for free, according to the government release. So can Community Services Card holders and women who have never been screened or are overdue.
Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa, the country’s largest sexual and reproductive health provider, posts at-home HPV tests to most people eligible for publicly funded healthcare. The test is free for anyone who qualifies for free screening and costs NZ$35 otherwise. It suits people having a first screen or whose earlier results were normal. Anyone who has tested positive for HPV or abnormal cells, without a negative test since, is advised to have a cervical sample taken instead.
The same provider notes that the HPV vaccine is free in New Zealand for people aged 9 to 26. Nicola Grigg, the Minister for Women, said “screening only saves lives if it’s taken up”. Her message to women who are overdue was to “talk to your healthcare provider today”.
Australia and Rwanda set earlier dates
New Zealand’s threshold matches the World Health Organization’s definition of elimination: four or fewer new cases per 100,000 women a year. WHO estimates about 604,000 new cases and 280,000 deaths worldwide in 2024. Its global strategy calls for 90% of girls to be vaccinated by 15 by 2030.
Australia is predicted to eliminate cervical cancer by 2035, a March 2026 review in the Medical Journal of Australia found. Its authors said recent falls in vaccination and screening uptake must be reversed. Rwanda has set a national elimination target of 2027, and its HPV vaccine coverage has stayed above 90% since its programme began in 2011.
This article is for information only and does not replace advice from a qualified health professional.
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