“We should be making the services as accessible as possible like we did with testing for Covid-19. “Personally I see this as a public health issue. If people do the right thing they shouldn’t have to pay for it.” Parliament’s health select committee has raised concerns about the growth of syphilis in south Auckland and the need for extra funding for primary and sexual health services to stop its spread. A report released in April as part of its annual review of the Counties Manukau District Health Board said 40 percent of syphilis cases in New Zealand were in the Counties Manukau area.