One million bowel testing kits have been returned and processed as part of Te Whatu Ora's cancer screening programme.

Eligible New Zealanders between the ages of 60 and 74 are sent self-test kits every two years.

"The bowel screening test is easy to do and can be completed in the privacy of your own home," the programme's clinical lead Dr Susan Parry says in a statement.

"The test can help detect bowel cancer early before you have any symptoms."

Around 3300 New Zealanders are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year and more than 1200 died from it.

But Te Whatu Ora says it's much easier to treat if discovered early.

"Reaching the milestone of 1 million returned bowel screening test kits is testament to our commitment to provide accessible, effective screening, but we aren't stopping there."

The agency aimed to make it easier for people to access the kits.

"We know getting these kits in people's hands, along with the right information and support, is a crucial factor to increasing participation rates, particularly for Māori," says Te Aka Whai Ora's deputy chief executive Selah Hart.

"It's encouraging to see over 70,000 eligible Māori have completed the test since the programme started."

Hart says people can access information about bowel screening through the Ministry of Health's Time to Screen website.

-RNZ.