Cancer campaign launched in Zululand
THE Department of Health says it is finalising tender processes to procure radiation oncology services from the private sector to support KZN and Gauteng.
This was announced by Minister Aaron Motsoaledi at the launch of the National Cancer Campaign in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday.
‘The tender has closed and the adjudication process is currently being finalised.
‘We will award the tender to the successful bidders by the end of November and they should be able to start work no later than 1 January 2019.
‘We will provide details on the number of additional patients requiring radiation therapy which we will treat after the tender process is complete,’ he said.
Motsoaledi hailed the progress that has been made by the KZN health department in improving oncology services.
This includes the public-private partnership in Empangeni and Richards Bay.
‘In April cancer services were opened in Ngwelezana Hospital and provides chemotherapy to an average of 800 breast cancer patients per quarter.
‘This unit also receives the support of Grey’s Hospital for the surgical management of patients and also provides the palliative chemotherapy to patients closer to their homes.
‘This means that patients no longer have to travel to eThekweni’s Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital for treatment,’ Motsoaledi said.
The improvement and strengthening of health systems by establishing regional centres for oncology services forms part of five key objectives that the department will focus on in the expansion of cancer services.
They include creating awareness about cancer and other related communicable diseases, increasing access by early detection through screening services for breast and cervical cancer, improving skills of health care workers and increasing support to patients already diagnosed with cancer.
‘We acknowledge that some of our services are not as accessible to patients as they are typically provided at central and tertiary hospitals.
‘We have therefore started with a process of de-centralisation of some of the cancer treatment services to increase accessibility.’
He also acknowledged that more needs to be done for patients needing palliative care and pain management.
‘My challenge to provincial Departments of Health is to ensure that pain management especially morphine is made available in all districts and provincial MECs and Head of Departments must ensure that all patients in need of pain management have access especially those who live in remote and rural areas.’ Mostoaledi encouraged collective effort in ‘dealing with the growing burden of cancer.’