- By Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister and MP for Botany
As Prime Minister, my job is to lead a Government that has three key priorities – to rebuild the economy, to restore law and order, and to deliver better public services especially in areas like health and education.
The quality of a person’s life is driven by the quality of their health, and nothing is more important.
So last week, I was proud to make a health announcement that could transform the lives of tens of thousands of people.
In the election campaign, National promised to fund more cancer treatments if we reached Government.
Seven months later, the coalition Government is making that happen. We are delivering on our promise to support Kiwis fighting cancer.
Through an unprecedented boost for Pharmac’s medicine budget of $604 million over four years, up to 26 cancer treatments will be made available for Kiwis who need them as part of an overall package of up to 54 new medicines benefiting approximately 175,000 people.
Cancer causes heartbreak to thousands of Kiwis every year and is responsible for around 31 per cent of all deaths in New Zealand.
That’s why one of our five key Health targets is for 90 per cent of patients to receive cancer management within 31 days of the decision to treat.
And that’s why we are making an unprecedented and transformative investment in these 26 cancer and other critical medicines that Kiwis need.
This lifesaving package is only part of other cancer initiatives we have already announced including the extension of free breast screening to 70-74 year olds resulting in an additional 60,000 women being screened each year, as well as launching a new mobile screening unit supporting 6000 women per year.
We’re also increasing the availability and accessibility of vital diagnostic and treatment equipment such as more PET scanning and radiotherapy machines.
These will help men in the South Island with prostate cancer or 520 Northlanders who will no longer need to travel to Auckland for treatment.
And we have expanded cancer infusion services in Whanganui, and provided more support for people travelling for cancer treatment.
Our Government’s record $16.7 billion investment into health in Budget 2024 will support the frontline services that Kiwis depend on such as emergency departments, primary care and public health.
All of us know someone who has been affected by cancer, and this historic investment can help people suffering with it to have hope that they can beat it, and once again resume normal lives.
We will continue to invest where we can, so that we can deliver world-class public health services that New Zealanders rely on.
