DA welcomes R784m Gauteng cancer initiative
13 March 2023
The Democratic Alliance welcomes the specific allocation of R784 million in last week’s Gauteng provincial budget to address the backlog of cancer surgery and radiation oncology.
This is badly needed as about 3000 cancer patients are waiting for treatment, including more than 1000 men with prostate cancer and about 500 women with breast cancer who urgently need radiation therapy.
I commend the Gauteng Health Department for working with Section27 and the Cancer Alliance to involve the private health sector in cutting the backlogs.
This includes the urgent outsourcing of radiation treatment for those on the existing waiting list, and the expedited procurement of new machines in the public sector to treat future patients.