The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) strongly condemns the Gauteng health department for its failure to fortify hospitals to provide efficient services. Further, we condemn austerity measures that have contributed, together with corruption in the public service, to the dire state of public health, putting countless lives at risk.
In April, the health department said R534m was to be invested in equipment and R250m in outsourcing radiation for one year. Today, many patients are waiting for radiation treatment, and there are many healthcare facilities without adequate equipment. Thousands of cancer patients are languishing on waiting lists, often for over a year now, in desperate need of life-saving treatment. The government’s failure to act decisively and effectively is costing many people’s lives. Investing in healthcare is not just about allocating funds but ensuring they are used efficiently and reach the people who most need them.
Gauteng’s two major cancer-treatment hospitals, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital and Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Tshwane are overwhelmed by the sheer number of patients requiring urgent care. The most recent figures reveal that are 2,637 patients are on the waiting list for treatment. This includes 1,440 prostate cancer patients and 848 others suffering from various cancers at Charlotte Maxeke, as well as 189 patients waiting for scanning and 166 waiting for planning at Steve Biko. These numbers are not just statistics, they represent individual’s fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters whose lives are at risk due to delays in receiving critical treatment. The government’s responsibility is to ensure every citizen has access to necessary medical care, especially concerning life-threatening conditions like cancer.
SAFTU insists that immediate action to address the cancer treatment crisis is needed. Without urgent intervention, more lives will be lost, and the healthcare system will continue to fail the very people it is meant to serve.
