28 June 2023 1 Min Read

Cancer and the NHI: Will patients see better treatment?

Charlotte Maxeke hospital’s radiation waiting list gets longer each year because of too few staff to operate lifesaving cancer equipment. Can the National Health Insurance scheme fix the broken health system?

in News & Fox by Mia Malan, Jessica Pitchford, Mohale Moloi, Yolanda Mdzeke, Tsidiso Lechuba, Tshidiso Thangwana and Dylan Bush
Picture: 123RF
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  • Almost 3,000 people with prostate, breast, cervical and colon cancer are waiting for radiation treatment at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. 

  • The head of that hospital department says even if they had more radiation equipment, they wouldn’t be able to use them, because there’s not enough staff to operate the current number of machines. That’s why they can’t get patients on radiation fast enough.
  • In this episode of Bhekisisa’s monthly television show, Health Beat, Mia Malan asks an activist and the head of the National Health Insurance if the scheme can fix our broken health system.
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    This story was produced by the Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism. Sign up for the newsletter

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