Cancer treatment at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital (CMJH) is crippled by a drastic shortage of radiographers that endangers the lives of hundreds of cancer patients.
According to a written reply by Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, there are only 23 radiographers in the Oncology Department, whereas 57 radiographers are ideally required.
The Oncology Department has 38 vacancies in total, including 20 radiographer posts, 3 vacancies for radiation oncologists, as well as shortages of medical officers, medical interns, registrars, and fellows.
At senior level, the Head of Clinical Unit post is vacant, as well as the Head of Department Medical Physicist post.
The Department says the staff shortages lead to an increase in treatment waiting times and “professionals treating more patients than is recommended on global guidelines potentially may result in a reduction of quality of care.”
A major reason for the radiographer shortage is that they are paid about R100 000 less a year than radiographers in other provinces due to a 12-year dispute concerning payment of the Occupational Specific Dispensation (OSD).
Instead of going all out to resolve this dispute, the Department says, “it is unknown when this dispute will be resolved.” This is disgraceful as the Radiographer shortage will persist until they get the full OSD allowance.
Further incompetence is revealed by the failure to speedily procure two compact Linear accelerators to replace machines decommissioned in 2018. A Radiation planning CT scan is also broken and needs replacing.
Ms Gladys Bogoshi, the CMJH CEO, should be held to account for staffing and equipment shortages that worsen the cancer treatment crisis for 3000 cancer patients on the waiting list for radiation therapy.
The Gauteng High Court has rebuked the Department’s failure to treat cancer patients as unlawful and unconstitutional, and it is likely that more cancer patients have died because of delayed treatment than the 144 mental patients that died in the Life Esidimeni tragedy.
The DA is fighting in court for the Gauteng Legislature to debate our motion to censure the Health MEC over the cancer treatment crisis. This has been blocked by the ANC as they fear they will lose the vote.
We will continue to push for quality cancer treatment by speedily filling staff vacancies, ensuring proper equipment, and the use of private facilities to cut the backlogs for cancer patients in public hospitals.