KZN oncology crisis: Department urged to act

The South African Human Rights Commission found that the Health MEC and his department violated the rights of cancer patients at Durban's Addington and Inkosi Albert Luthuli hospitals to have access to health care services. 

The report also found that patients waited months for a diagnosis and then more than half a year for radiotherapy.  

Click here to read SAHRC's full investigative report. 

ALSO READ: KZN advocacy groups call on Dept to address 'healthcare crisis'

The Cancer Association's Lorraine Govender says it's time for government to do something.

"The health department should have already known that the machines are not working and what the repercussions of the machines not working would be on the patients. First, we didn't have the equipment and a lot of the doctors left. We've lost our oncologists to the private sector. We are working with a coalition, the Cancer Alliance, in ensuring that our voices are stronger in terms of what needs to be done to remedy the situation," she said.

MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo and the department have a little more than a week to report back to the commission. The Democratic Alliance in KZN wants the MEC to be recalled immediately.   

The DA's spokesperson on health, Imran Keeka says that change needs to happen.   

"On top of all this, we will reiterate our call to the Premier to dismiss MEC Dhlomo. The common factor, not only in oncology services, but in the province over a period of eight years and while officials have come and gone has remained MEC Dhlomo. If we expect anything to change with him at the helm, it will not happen," he said.

Listen to the full bulletin below.