In a joint Te Aka Whai Ora and Te Whatu Ora initiative, over 140 people joined an online webinar to hear to Professor Bev Lawton and a panel of other researchers discuss “Cervical Cancer: Getting the Job Done”.

The session held on 12 February is part of a new monthly online initiative called ‘The Grand Round’. The purpose of the sessions is to develop new relationships, collaborate, and encourage important discussions between health researchers and those working in the New Zealand health and wellbeing sector.

Te Aka Whai Ora Chief Medical Officer Dr Rawiri McKree Jansen, who opened the session, says it is vital that we facilitate knowledge sharing, collaboration, and professional development.

“This new initiative provides a platform to share research and ideas that will hopefully help transform our health system and improve outcomes for our whānau and communities.”

Professor Bev Lawton (ONZM, Ngāti Porou) was the keynote speaker for the session who is the founder and director of Te Tātai Hauora o Hine, the National Centre for Women’s Health Research Aotearoa at Victoria University of Wellington.

Bev’s research on women’s and children’s health has led to changes in policy and practice in Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally. Her work and research in HPV self-testing aims to increase access to cervical screening for wāhine Māori, particularly for those in rural communities.

“The Grand Round is a fantastic initiative and it was a privilege to have the opportunity to share and discuss research with other researchers and those working in our health sector. Both myself and the panellists put out the wero ‘No wāhine should get cervical cancer’. We can eliminate cervical cancer. Let’s resource an Elimination strategy and get the job done for our whānau,” says Bev.

Other panel speakers included Charles Lambert, Dr Kendall Stevenson, Dr Karen Bartholomew and Prof Sandy Morrison.

You can watch a full recording of the session here

The next Grand Round session is scheduled for early March and details on how to join will be made available on www.tekakawhaiora.nz