With cancer being one of the leading causes of death in South Africa, the Eastern Cape Department of Health has made significant progress in the fight against this non-communicable disease. Health MEC, Nomakhosazana Meth, recently unveiled new, state-of-the-art, oncology equipment aimed at improving cancer treatment in the western part of the province.
The new equipment includes a R60 million linear accelerator, a R37 million CT scanner, and a R10 million fluoroscopy unit.
This investment was part of a broader effort to equip tertiary hospitals with advanced tools to treat cancer patients more effectively. The hospitals benefiting from this new technology are Livingstone Hospital in Gqeberha, Frere Hospital in East London, and Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha.
According to the World Health Organisation, non-communicable diseases are responsible for 74 percent of deaths, worldwide.
In response, the Eastern Cape Department of Health recently purchased top-of-the-line cancer treatment equipment for its major hospitals.
Additionally, a state-of-the-art oncology unit is being constructed at Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital.
“The department invested R412 million in this project, which will ensure cancer patients from the eastern part of the province don’t have to travel to East London and Gqeberha for treatment,” said Department of Health spokesperson, Mkhululi Ndamase.
This initiative marked a significant step forward in improving healthcare for cancer patients in the Eastern Cape, bringing hope and advanced treatment options to many in the region, including Siphokazi Mzizi from Zwide, who told the PE Express last month that her young child is battling with a brain tumour.
“The tumour in my daughter’s (Lichumile) brain has affected her speech, sight and her balance,” said Siphokazi last month.
“With this new equipment, I hope more people, including my daughter, will have access to the treatment they need, and at a faster pace.
“It’s painful to see people dying when they could have received the help they needed in order to live longer lives with their loved ones, like how my mother died of cancer a few years ago.
“Death changes the structure of families completely, so this development is a beacon of hope,” Mzizi concluded.
Additionally, the MEC also unveiled an R18 million state-of-the-art tunnel washer, which has addressed the patients’ laundry backlog at Frere Hospital in East London.
