Gauteng health reports R500m underspending despite surge in cancer patients

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has criticised the provincial Department of Health for underspending more than R500 million, even though there is a significant number of critical cancer patients.

According to the party, R511 million of the budget for urgent cancer cases has been unspent since April last year (1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024).

GAUTENG HEALTH UNDERSPENDS ON CANCER PATIENTS

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health Jack Bloom said the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital has 2 288 patients waiting for radiation therapy, compared to 364 patients at the Steve Biko Hospital.

At CMJH, the list includes 1400 prostate cancer patients on hormone therapy, as well as 497 breast cancer patients, 100 gynaecology patients, and 80 gastrointestinal tract (GIT) patients.

Bloom said historical delays due to Covid-19 and the fire at CHJH are blamed for the long waiting lists, as well as load shedding, overcrowding of patients from other provinces and countries, and the inability to attract Radiotherapists to the public sector.

“More lives have been lost in this scandal than the 144 mental patients who died in the Life Esidimeni tragedy.

“The DA will continue to press for the urgent involvement of the private health sector to save the lives of cancer patients in our public hospitals,” Bloom said.

In a response Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said the reason the department underspent was that outsourcing to private facilities needed to be re-advertised.

DEPARTMENT DRAGGED TO COURT

Meanwhile, in July, Section27, Cancer Alliance and the Treatment Action Campaign, went to court to force the department to effectively spend its budget to cut the cancer treatment backlog.

Gauteng Health reportedly failed to use R784 million meant to clear the thousands-strong backlog of cancer patients waiting for life-saving radiation and oncology services.