MAJOR BOOST FOR CANCER PATIENTS
A further R15m will support five NGOs
R25m donation means radiation and chemotherapy now available in Mthatha and surrounds
The fight against cancer in the province has received a major boost after a R25m donation to the department of health for acquisition of radiation treatment infrastructure.
Now cancer patients in the former Transkei will no longer have to endure the long journey to Port Elizabeth’s Livingstone Hospital and East London’s Frere Hospital for their treatment.
Of the 94 public hospitals in the province, only Frere and Livingstone offered the treatment, meaning patients in farflung districts like Chris Hani, Joe Gqabi and Alfred Nzo had to be on the road as early as 3am in order to reach doctors’ appointments on time, Eastern Cape health spokesperson Siyanda Manana confirmed.
The funding will make it possible for St Patrick’s Hospital, Madzikane KaZulu, St Barnabas, St Elizabeth and Mthatha Regional Hospital to offer the treatment, said Manana.
The donation, from the American-based Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation (BMSF), was announced by premier Oscar Mabuyane at a cancer awareness event at the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha on Friday.
Delivering his talk at the event, Mabuyane said despite the fact that over 98,000 people were diagnosed annually in the country and 59,000 die of cancer, few hospitals offered treatment.
“I am however taken aback to learn that in its glorious 15 years of existence, this hospital [Nelson Mandela Academic] does not have the modern infrastructure to deal with this most devastating disease.”
Mabuyane tasked new health MEC, Sindiswa Gomba, “to work with speed and purpose to rectify the problem”.
“Evidently, the ball was dropped, and it is only proper that I give the new MEC a baptism of fire to work with the board of this hospital to correct this anomaly.
“When we say services must be closer to the people, we mean all services.
“The people of O R Tambo district cannot be expected to travel three hours to East London to access radiation treatment and chemotherapy.
“That is not right, so MEC Gomba your tasks include ensuring that our health facilities have the necessary physical, technical and service infrastructure, including personnel, drugs and medicines, to provide adequate services to our people,” Mabuyane said.
Globally, cancer accounted for 9.6 million deaths in 2018 and projections are that the number will double by 2050, said Mabuyane.
“These are not just numbers, these are human beings – mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and even children. This is the human capital of our country, people who should be productive and contributing to the growth of our country.”
Prostate, colo-rectal, stomach and liver cancer are the most common forms in men, while breast, colo-rectal, lung, cervix and thyroid cancer are the most common among women in South Africa, Mabuyane said.
“We must encourage the private sector to be a trusted ally in our pursuit of universal access to healthcare services.
“Today, the private sector has answered this Thuma Mina call as The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation is investing R25m to improve health outcomes of populations disproportionately affected by HIV and cancer,” said Mabuyane.
BMSF spokesperson, Phangisile Mtshali, said the company had also committed an additional R15m towards community-based programmes.
“We are a bio-pharmaceutical company that stands for addressing health disparities against serious diseases, so we cannot overlook the rural Eastern Cape, which has limited resources. The R15m will support five NGOs who will offer health support by conducting screening and educational programmes in communities,” Mtshali said.
Globally, cancer accounted for 9.6 million deaths in 2018