Family Planning and the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists – Toi Mata Hauora say if one thing can be learned from the overturning of Roe v Wade it is that access to safe abortion and contraceptive care must be embedded as a core service within a national health system.
“With change to the New Zealand health system just days away, the new system must provide of a full suite of sexual and reproductive health services, including abortion care, that is fully funded and fully integrated within the new structure,” say Family Planning chief executive Jackie Edmond and ASMS executive director Sarah Dalton.
“Whilst the health system contexts are vastly different between the United States and New Zealand, we must ensure these services are beyond political reach and fully embedded within the health system.”
Ms Edmond says in a New Zealand context, equity should underpin the delivery of services
“Equity in sexual and reproductive health and rights is guaranteed under Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” she says. “The best way to deliver this is to ensure that all sexual and reproductive health services are included as a core service in the national plan for the delivery of health service. Primary care services, like Family Planning, are the best and most cost effective place to deliver many of these services, including early medical abortion.
“New Zealanders are concerned about what they’re seeing in the US and how this might impact services here – not only have we had notes of support, we’ve had donations and a rush of people signing up as members. These are services people value and want to see protected,” Ms Edmond says.
