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The Citizen
3 days ago
- Health
- The Citizen
‘I could die before surgery': Cancer patient lost in Gauteng hospitals backlog
Over 34 000 patients are waiting to undergo surgery in various Gauteng public hospitals. A man from Gauteng, who is suffering from skin cancer and living in pain, has been told he may have to wait up to eight months for surgery at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. But he doesn't have eight months. He could be dead before then. There are probably many more like him who are low down on the waiting list for surgery at Gauteng's government hospitals and who may die before they are admitted to theatre. Thousands trapped in growing surgical backlog There are more than 34 000 patients waiting, said Gauteng health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko in a written reply to questions by the DA's shadow health MEC Jack Bloom in the Gauteng Legislature. The man has developed a lump on his cheek, making it difficult for him to eat and speak. Early this year, he was diagnosed with skin cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma which has the potential to spread all over the body if left untreated. He is one of the 3 315 patients who has been on the surgery waiting list at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. Patient faces starvation and suffocation risk 'The cancer has begun to spread to other body parts causing considerable pain and swelling,' said the patient in a statement. He was scheduled to have a feeding tube and stent inserted yesterday, but the appointment has been moved again to the following week. 'The hospital cannot perform the primary procedure due to a backlog of patients. The growth must be removed, along with reconstructive surgery on my jawline,' said the patient. 'We were told I might have to wait for another six to eight months.' Hospital resources stretched beyond limits Cancer Alliance director Salomé Meyer said the man was turned away from hospital yesterday morning. She said the patient requires a feeding tube and a stent to allow him to breathe and to eat. ALSO READ: Health minister defends nearly R10 million legal spend on NHI court battles 'If that is not emergency surgery then what is? He was told to come back next week as the surgeon is now attending another hospital. 'The hospital has only one operating theatre and one intensive care unit. Patients with trauma from car accidents or gunshot wounds take precedence. 'We are now actively seeking to raise funds to facilitate the removal of the growth before it spreads further and completely blocks his airways.' Meyer said the man first required emergency surgery but his surgery was cancelled. 'If he does not get this surgery as soon as possible, he will starve to death and possibly suffocate,' she said. Budget shortfalls and misused funds deepen crisis Meyer said in 2023-24, a portion of the R784 million that was made available for backlogs was also to be allocated to surgery, but 'we did not get any feedback from the department of health. What we know is that they did not use R250 million of the ringfenced cancer money and now are spending the remaining money on the cancer backlog for radiation,' she said. 'So where is the money for surgical backlogs? The problem is all of the affected hospitals have had staff cuts.' Meyer said it would not be surprising cancer patients were the majority requiring surgery as many of them can 'wait' as their operations are not regarded as emergency or life-saving. She added the budget cuts were affecting all the hospitals. 'Gauteng is particularly affected because of the backlogs. We need to realise that health in SA is in the emergency room – and we do not have blood, or even staff to attend to this crisis,' she said. Patients could wait years Nkomo-Ralehoko said the largest waiting list is 6 764 patients at the Steve Biko Hospital in Pretoria, followed by the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto (6 232), Dr George Mukhari Hospital in GaRankuwa (5 354), and 3315 patients at the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital. ALSO READ: Gauteng hospital security bill soars to R2.54bn amid patient care crisis Bloom said: 'Furthermore, figures are only given for 17 out of 37 hospitals in Gauteng. 'Waiting times differ for certain types of surgery; for instance, it is only one to two months for a cataract removal at Leratong Hospital, but two years at the Mamelodi and Yusuf Dadoo hospitals. 'While patients at Kalafong Hospital in Atteridgeville wait five years for hip surgery. They will only wait three to six months at Dr George Mukhari Hospital.' He added: 'The MEC blames the long waiting times on the high turnover of patients to Gauteng and the burden of trauma that takes preference over elective cases. She also admits that load shedding and water shortages lead to cancellations and postponements of surgeries. 'In May last year, the MEC claimed that the surgical waiting lists had been reduced from 38 000 to 24 000, so this progress has been reversed. I estimate the real waiting list for all 37 hospitals is probably about 40 000 as the budget cuts and staffing shortages have worsened the situation.' Bloom said while surgical blitzes can temporarily bring the number down, the DA is pushing for effective use of the R66 billion budget to permanently reduce the waiting lists. Health department denies backlog as crisis escalates Gauteng department of health spokesperson Motalatale Modiba conceded there were 34 528 patients recorded on surgical waiting lists at public hospitals in the province, but denied there is a backlog. 'The waiting lists includes patients across key specialties such as cataract, general surgery, paediatrics and others. However, it is important to differentiate between surgical backlogs and waiting lists. 'The waiting list is a dynamic figure as it fluctuates as and when new patients are registered on the waiting list and when surgeries are performed – it is therefore a moving target.' ALSO READ: Mother accuses Mpumalanga hospital of sabotage in medical negligence case Other hospitals with long waiting lists
eNCA
09-05-2025
- Health
- eNCA
Cancer Alliance to oppose Gauteng Health appeal
JOHANNESBURG - The Gauteng High Court has granted the Gauteng Health Department leave to appeal a March court order, mandating them to provide cancer treatment to patients in the province. READ: Cancer treatment | Big win as patients get access to affordable treatment Cancer Alliance, represented by Section 27 plans to oppose the appeal. The NGO hauled the department to court after it failed to use R784 million allocated in 2023 to provide cancer patients with life-saving treatment. Khanyisa Mapipa, The Head of Health Rights at Section 27 discussed the case with eNCA.
The Citizen
08-05-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Gauteng Health to appeal judgment to clear Cancer treatment backlog
More than 3 000 cancer patients have been waiting up to three years for treatment. A blood donor donates blood at the Netcare Olivedale Hospital, 10 March 2022, at a special patient care day to celebrate cancer survivors and patients. Picture: Michel Bega The Gauteng Department of Health has welcomed a decision by the Johannesburg High Court granting it leave to appeal a judgment relating to the provision of radiation oncology services. In March, the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg declared the province's health department's failure to provide radiation and oncology services to cancer patients 'unlawful and unconstitutional.' The court also ordered the Gauteng Health Department to take 'all steps necessary' to provide radiation oncology services to patients on the backlog list for treatment at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital and Steve Biko Academic Hospital. Appeal After the judgment, the department filed an application for leave to appeal the decision. Gauteng Health Department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba said they filed a notice of application for leave to appeal on 2 April 2025. 'The decision confirms that there are substantial legal grounds warranting further judicial consideration on several critical aspects of the case. ALSO READ: Court orders Gauteng Health to clear radiation oncology backlog at public hospitals 'The Department will now proceed with the appeal process to ensure that the issues raised in the judgment are comprehensively assessed and clarified,' Modiba said. Cancer Alliance The Cancer Alliance, represented by advocacy group Section 27, filed an application in the High Court in Johannesburg against the Gauteng health department for allegedly failing to spend R784 million allocated by the Gauteng Treasury in 2023. The radiation and other surgical backlogs showed that about 3 000 cancer patients were awaiting cancer treatment, some for more than three years. Judgement In the judgment, Acting Judge Stephen van Nieuwenhuizen noted that the constitutional rights of patients on the radiation oncology backlog list had been 'trampled upon' by the Gauteng Health Department. Nieuwenhuizen said this was because the ring-fenced funds specifically intended for patients and made available in April 2023 were lost due to the department's failure to outsource the radiation oncology service and spend such funds urgently before the annual obligation to return funds to Treasury came up. ALSO READ: Gauteng cancer patients battle illness and broken system amid R784m funding dispute
IOL News
02-05-2025
- Health
- IOL News
DA takes legal action against Gauteng Legislature speaker over blocked motion on Health MEC
Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko faces growing scrutiny as the DA takes legal action, accusing her of failing to address Gauteng's cancer treatment crisis, causing unnecessary delays and preventable deaths among patients. The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has filed court papers against the Speaker of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL), Morakane Mosupyoe, accusing her of acting unconstitutionally by blocking a motion aimed at censuring the MEC for Health, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko. The motion, brought forward by DA health spokesperson Jack Bloom, sought to hold the MEC accountable for her alleged role in the ongoing denial of timely cancer treatment to patients in the province,a crisis the DA says is leading to preventable suffering and death. As previously reported by The Star, at the centre of the dispute is the Gauteng Department of Health's (GDoH) handling of cancer treatment services. Civil society organisations—Section27, the Cancer Alliance, and the Treatment Action Campaign have taken the department to court, accusing it of failing to spend more than R784 million allocated to address the province's cancer treatment backlog. The DA further claims that a separate R250 million budget from the previous year also went unspent. The GDoH has denied these allegations, stating that it continues to engage with a range of interest groups. It insists, however, on adhering to policy-led governance and upholding the principle of separation of powers. The DA contends that the MEC's failure to effectively collaborate with advocacy organisations has deepened the crisis, leading to prolonged delays in life-saving radiation therapy and avoidable deaths allegedly surpassing those of the Life Esidimeni tragedy. The DA argues that Speaker Mosupyoe dismissed the motion on flimsy procedural grounds, thereby blocking debate on a critical public health issue. The party maintains that this undermines democratic oversight and silences legitimate opposition within the legislature. 'This is a scandalous situation,' said Mike Moriarty, DA Gauteng caucus chief whip. 'The fact that the ANC contrives to block normal democratic processes is appalling. But the DA will not roll over. We will go to court to stand for the rights of cancer patients and other Gauteng residents, whose livelihood is harmed by a dysfunctional and corrupt government.' The DA further accuses Premier Panyaza Lesufi's administration of wasting taxpayer money by appealing a previous court ruling that compelled the provincial government to provide life-saving cancer treatment. According to the DA, these ongoing delays not only jeopardise patient lives but also divert critical resources away from service delivery. 'Today, we are defending cancer patients and exposing whether the MEC is worthy of office. ''Tomorrow, it might well involve corruption and maladministration. Whatever the case, our constitution provides for robust debate in a legislature like the GPL,' Moriarty said. The DA views the Speaker's decision as part of a broader trend by the ANC to suppress opposition motions in the Legislature. However, it believes this case is too serious to ignore and is now asking the court to declare the Speaker's ruling unconstitutional, unlawful, and invalid, and to have it set aside. 'So that this motion can serve, and that it becomes a precedent allowing similar motions to be tabled in the future ensuring that any government, including Lesufi's ANC government, is held to account in the glare of public scrutiny,' said Moriarty. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. IOL Politics
