The Democratic Alliance in Kwa Zulu-Natal has released a statement calling on all the oncologists who are able to return to the Provincial Health Department’s workforce to do so.
The call follows the resumption of oncology services at Addington hospital.
In February 2016 the DA wrote to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) complaining about failing health care regarding treatment of cancer patients at Addington hospital.
Following the DA complaint, SAHRC after its investigations; released a report where it held that the MEC for Health Sibongiseni Dlomo violated the rights of cancer patients to have access to health care.
In line with the information secured during its investigation of the complaint, it appears there has been conspicuous failure to provide adequate oncology services in the KZN province for a considerable time.
The commission further found that the measures the Provincial Health Department proposed in order to redress the crisis at the time were inadequate and unacceptable.
As part of the Provincial Government intervention in dealing with the crisis, KZN Premier Willies Mchunu announced a Section 18 intervention in terms of the Public Finance Management Act; to temporarily control the supply chain management function in the Health Department.
The complaint by the DA’s KZN Spokesperson on Health; Dr Imran Keeka, and the measures which followed the SAHRC intervention have begun bearing fruits as oncology services have resumed at Addington hospital. The SAHRC and the delegation from the Provincial Government conducted site inspection visit at the hospital on the 5th June 2018.
The commission noted that in complying with its recommendations, the Provincial Department of Health has successfully repaired one Linear Accelerator (VRALA) machine. The commission can confirm that the first patient was treated on the 5th June 2018 using this machine. In addition, some of the staff members from Addington hospital, who were stationed at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central hospital have returned to Addington hospital in order to provide services to oncology patients. The hospital has also secured the services of 1 oncologist.
The SAHRC further announced that as part of implementing the recommendations, ‘the Provincial Health Department will continue with the public-private partnership it has with Wits Consortium which supplies oncology services to the hospital on a weekly bases.’
The Department has also procured a new oncology machine which has been assembled and is currently being ‘calibrated’ by Physicists. It is anticipated that the machine will be ready for use by the 26th July 2018.
While appealing for the return of oncologists to the department, the DA through its KZN Health Spokesperson Dr Imran Keeka; has committed to ensuring that the MEC is held accountable for ‘deaths of more than 500 cancer patients as the result of his failure to deal with ongoing problems within the system.’
While the resumption of some oncology services is a step in the right direction, it did not happen as a result of the MEC and his Department being proactive. It happened because they were under duress from the SAHRC and had to implement the Commission’s directives. The fact that some of the oncology tools of trade are now back online should also serve as a strong reminder to the MEC and his Department that KZN must never again face such a violation of human rights-and so many deaths- as a result of pure negligence on their part.
Acting head of the Health Department in KZN Dr Musa Gumede, has confirmed the return of oncology services at Addington hospital.
We can confirm that one machine is now functional at Addington and patients will now be scheduled for treatment. The second oncology machine has also arrived at Addington, and is currently being installed. These machines are highly technological, and require software upgrades, calibration and other configurations. But we are confident that it will soon be up and running. With one machine already working, we have already begun to alleviate pressure from Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital. Once the second one is up and running, we will be able to significantly reduce the burden of oncology cases in the Province.
Other hospitals in the Province which according to Gumede, offers oncology services are:
- Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central
- Grey’s
- Ngwelezane and
- Queen Nandi
The services are offered ‘through the an arrangement that the Department has with the Joint Medical Holdings (JMH) Group.
The SAHRC has committed to keep an eye on the KZN Health Department and other Provinces to make sure there is no more collapse in oncology services.
