Gauteng Health Crisis: 3,000 Cancer Patients Left in Limbo as Radiation Treatment Outsourcing Stalls

The Gauteng Department of Health has failed to appoint a service provider for outsourced radiation oncology treatment, leaving over 3,000 cancer patients awaiting critical care despite R784 million being allocated by the Gauteng Treasury in March 2023. Activists from SECTION27, Cancer Alliance, and the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) are demanding urgent action to address this ongoing crisis.

The cancer crisis in Gauteng is exacerbated by a shortage of operational radiation oncology machines and staff, with the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital being the worst affected. While the Gauteng Cancer Crisis Task Team was established in 2022 to address the issue, it achieved little and was eventually dissolved. The activists have been pushing for the outsourcing of radiation oncology services to the private sector as a temporary solution, which was endorsed by the former head of the department.

Why this matters: The failure to provide timely and adequate cancer treatment has severe consequences for patients, potentially leading to disease progression and diminished survival prospects. This crisis highlights systemic issues in the public healthcare system and the urgent need for effective solutions to ensure access to life-saving treatments.

However, the department has failed to take the necessary steps to initiate the outsourcing program, despite the availability of funds. The activists have held meetings with the department and the Gauteng Treasury, but their efforts have been met with resistance and a lack of progress. The department has even instructed officials to cease communications with the activists, further hindering efforts to resolve the crisis.

Cancer Crisis: The failure to appoint a service provider puts the allocated R784 million at risk of being returned to the Treasury as unspent funds. "We are demanding urgent action from the Gauteng Department of Health to address this crisis and provide the much-needed treatment to the cancer patients who have been waiting for far too long," said a spokesperson for the activist groups. The activists emphasize that the department must fulfill its obligations to these patients and take immediate steps to outsource radiation oncology services and alleviate the suffering of those affected by the crisis.

Key Takeaways

• Gauteng Dept of Health failed to appoint provider for radiation oncology, 3,000+ patients affected
• R784M allocated but unspent, risking return to Treasury as activists demand urgent action
• Shortage of operational radiation oncology machines and staff, crisis exacerbated at Charlotte Maxeke
• Activists push for outsourcing to private sector, but Dept resists and blocks communication
• Failure to provide timely cancer treatment leads to disease progression and diminished survival