Cancer court action evokes memories of Esidimeni negligence

17 July 2024

The court action to force the Gauteng Health Department to spend budgeted money to save cancer patients reminds me of the negligence that led to lives lost in the Life Esidimeni tragedy.

According to a High Court application filed by the Cancer Alliance and Section27, the Department has failed to use the R784 million budgeted in 2023 to provide cancer patients with life-saving treatment and cut the radiation and surgical backlogs in Gauteng.

The organisations say the Department cut off communication with them, but announced through the media that R250 million would be used to procure planning services for the outsourcing of radiation and oncology services for one year. The remaining R534 million would be used for equipment, including radiation bunkers.

I agree with the Cancer Alliance that this is effectively a death sentence for 3000 cancer patients who urgently need treatment.

Paying R250 million for "planning services" is suspect and irrational.

Cancer Alliance is seeking an interdict to force the Department to provide urgent cancer treatment as their delays are "unlawful and unconstitutional."

It seems the lessons of the Esidimeni disaster have not been learnt.

The DA will continue to pressure the Department to provide decent cancer treatment by using questions and motions in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL).

People should not die because of the Department's notorious corruption, incompetence, and negligence.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, 17 July 2024