Auckland (The NZ Today)
National says it will redirect money from overseas aid into medicines and cancer screening, promising another $604 million for Pharmac if it leads the next government.
The party unveiled the health package in Auckland on Tuesday, saying it would reduce foreign aid spending outside the Pacific and seek further savings within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to help fund the increase.
Health spokesperson Simeon Brown said Pacific aid would be protected, while National would aim for an overall 10 percent reduction in foreign aid and associated administration costs elsewhere.
The extra Pharmac funding would be used to widen access to existing treatments and help fund additional medicines.
National has previously delivered a separate $604 million Pharmac uplift, which Pharmac says led to funding or expanded access for 66 medicines, including 33 cancer treatments.
The latest proposal goes beyond medicines.
National says it would lower the eligibility age for free bowel screening to 50 by 2029, complete the extension of free breast screening through to age 74, and begin pilots for prostate and lung cancer screening.
It is also promising free cervical screening for women aged 25 to 69 from March 2027.
Another part of the policy would set a national target for clinical trials and seek to increase access to advanced treatments including CAR-T cell therapy, which uses a patient’s immune cells to target some cancers.
National says the intention is to give more New Zealanders access to new treatments earlier, particularly people with cancer and rare conditions.
The decision to fund part of the package through foreign aid marks a clear change in spending priorities.
Brown said National believed more government money should be directed towards healthcare at home, while continuing New Zealand’s development commitments in the Pacific.
The policy also comes shortly after National criticised Labour over its proposal to increase overseas development assistance over time.
National has not yet released the full breakdown showing exactly how much of the $604 million would come from reduced aid spending and how much would be generated through administrative savings at MFAT.
Source: National Party policy announcement and RNZ
