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The Royal College of Surgeons says it is dismayed the Health Ministry has gone against its own expert advice and refused to lower the age for bowel screening for Maori.
The National bowel screening programme being rolled out nationally will cover those aged 60 to 74.
This is despite the Minstry's expert advisory groups reccomending that the age for Maori and Pasifika be set at 50 to 59, because these groups have a higher incidence of bowel cancer younger.
The Ministry says lowering the age would require about 10 per cent more screening colonoscopies, and services are already struggling.
Kathryn speaks with Northland-based General Surgeon and Chair of The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons' indigenous health committee, Dr Maxine Ronald and Chief Executive of the Cancer Control Agency, Diana Sarfati.