Gauteng Department of Health. Image: X
With thousands of cancer patients on the waiting list for radiation treatment in Gauteng, the provincial department of health reportedly failed to spend R511 million of the budget for urgent cases.
As the world comes to the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the province has 2652 cancer patients on the waiting list for radiation therapy.
Gauteng health and wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko made the shocking revelation while responding to DA questions in the Gauteng Legislature recently.
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Nkomo-Ralehoko conceded that the budget for urgent cancer cases had not been spent since April last year.
She said Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital had 2 288 patients on the radiation therapy list, while 364 were at Steve Biko Academic Hospital.”
The department said in the previous financial year, R250 million was not spent because the outsourcing to private facilities needed to be readvertised.
She did not give a straight answer as to why the R261 million in this year’s budget had not been spent, as well. It also transpired that on the waiting there were 1 400 prostate cancer patients on hormone therapy, as well as 497 breast cancer patients, 100 gynaecology patients and 80 gastrointestinal tract patients.
Trudy Khumalo, from the association known as Women Against Cancer, criticised the department for failing to spend its budget.
“It is very concerning that the country had so much money to address issues of cancer, but still we are lacking and patients are still suffering.
“I am also concerned about the waiting period between the day of testing or screening for cancer and the day a patient receives the result, as it seems to be too much.
“The tests need to be done and the results released immediately so that the treatment can start as soon as possible.
“The longer a patient waits, the more the cancer spreads in their body,” said Khumalo.
She said South Africa was not winning the fight against cancer and said more still needed to be done.
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Zodwa Sithole, Cancer Association of South Africa head of advocacy, said there was a serious need to prioritise the fight against cancer as the number of patients was growing.
“South Africa is dealing with a surging prevalence of cancer. In South Africa, a country with approximately 60 million people, the cancer incidence is set to double from what it is now with a projection of 220 000 new cases by 2030.
“The cancer incidence increases pose a challenge to our health care system, which is already stretched and inequitable.”
Sithole also urged the government to prioritise campaigns for health education on the importance of early detection screening.
DA member in the Gauteng Legislature, Jack Bloom lambasted the government.
“Medical guidelines specify that radiotherapy should be done within 60 days of surgery or chemotherapy, and no later than 90 days, to destroy remaining malignant cancer cells.
“I estimate that hundreds of cancer patients had to be taken off the radiotherapy lists in Gauteng because the 90- day limit had passed.
“Their lives could have been saved if the department had speedily concluded a contract with private hospitals last year,” Bloom said.
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