"Women shouldn't have to exist in a life of pain" while suffering from endometriosis, says Labour leader Jacinda Ardern.
Today, Labour promised $200 million to reduce waiting lists further, should it be re-elected. National has already promised to make sure every elective surgery would be completed within four months.
During the party's health policy announcement, Ardern said almost every woman in New Zealand would know someone who suffers from endometriosis.
"I do think that there's often poor diagnosis, that leads to poor treatment, that leads to a huge amount of suffering."
However, an email from one DHB obtained by 1 NEWS says the disease is not considered a priority.
Gynaecologist Mike Bush told 1 NEWS he was frustrated with the lack of support and funding, for a disease that affects 10 per cent of the country’s female population.
The inflammatory disease impacts one in 10 women in New Zealand and can cause infertility and extreme pelvic pain.
Ardern said it was an education and training around endometriosis was an area that needed to be looked at.
"We need more research in that area, women shouldn't have to exist in a life of pain."
"My concern would be that there were probably women that have not been in that queue because they have not been appropriately identified [as having endometriosis]."
Government funding had been increased to catch up with the backlog of elective surgeries caused by Covid-19, with $282m allocated in Budget 2020.
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