UNPAID bills by the Gauteng health department have left the lives of cancer patients in the balance.
Yesterday, dozens of patients were turned away from Johannesburg's Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital because a radiation machine had not been repaired.
It had not been repaired because of a payment dispute with Siemens - the service provider.
Anthony Ramothale, a 49-year-old patient with colon cancer, was due for treatment yesterday. He had to make the long journey back to Vanderbijlpark in the Vaal using public transport after being turned back at the hospital.
He spoke to Sowetan when he got home.
"I am very tired and in pain. When they told me that I have to go back home again, I felt myself lose all the power in my body. I have been sent from pillar to post since last week. I do not know what to do."
Ramothale needs to be examined to determine if he would be fit to undergo chemotherapy.
The machine broke down on Friday. He was told to come back yesterday.
DA member of the provincial legislature Jack Bloom said: "I visited the oncology department and found that this is one of eight radiation machines that treat about 300 patients daily.
"The breakdown of this machine means that more than 30 patients could not be treated today.
"Payment disputes in Gauteng must end so that patients do not continue to be victims," Bloom said.
Lobby group Campaign4Cancer offered to help Ramothale. The non-governmental organisation advocates for the promotion and protection of the rights of patients and those affected by cancer. The organisation deals with about 400 cases in the private and public sector every year.
Campaign4Cancer CEO Lauren Pretorius said: "This is a systems problem. How can a provincial department have this sort of problem? What should the nurse and doctors say to the patients?
"In the public health scheme it is impossible for the ordinary person to get help when faced with these sort of problems," said Pretorius.
She said people generally did not know what to do and were not empowered with information.
"We do not hear about these sort of problems in the public sector a lot because we work on a referral basis. So if patients are not told about us, they never get to know about us."
She said the national department was usually responsive and helpful when approached with individual cases but "things like machines not working because people are not paid is a serious problem".
Gauteng health spokesman Simon Zwane said: "The hospital has made arrangements to book patients in other machines. Today only a certain number could be accommodated.
"The company has assured the hospital that the machine will be repaired as soon as payment is received."
Hospital's unpaid bills put patients' lives at risk
UNPAID bills by the Gauteng health department have left the lives of cancer patients in the balance.
Yesterday, dozens of patients were turned away from Johannesburg's Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital because a radiation machine had not been repaired.
It had not been repaired because of a payment dispute with Siemens - the service provider.
Anthony Ramothale, a 49-year-old patient with colon cancer, was due for treatment yesterday. He had to make the long journey back to Vanderbijlpark in the Vaal using public transport after being turned back at the hospital.
He spoke to Sowetan when he got home.
"I am very tired and in pain. When they told me that I have to go back home again, I felt myself lose all the power in my body. I have been sent from pillar to post since last week. I do not know what to do."
Ramothale needs to be examined to determine if he would be fit to undergo chemotherapy.
The machine broke down on Friday. He was told to come back yesterday.
DA member of the provincial legislature Jack Bloom said: "I visited the oncology department and found that this is one of eight radiation machines that treat about 300 patients daily.
"The breakdown of this machine means that more than 30 patients could not be treated today.
"Payment disputes in Gauteng must end so that patients do not continue to be victims," Bloom said.
Lobby group Campaign4Cancer offered to help Ramothale. The non-governmental organisation advocates for the promotion and protection of the rights of patients and those affected by cancer. The organisation deals with about 400 cases in the private and public sector every year.
Campaign4Cancer CEO Lauren Pretorius said: "This is a systems problem. How can a provincial department have this sort of problem? What should the nurse and doctors say to the patients?
"In the public health scheme it is impossible for the ordinary person to get help when faced with these sort of problems," said Pretorius.
She said people generally did not know what to do and were not empowered with information.
"We do not hear about these sort of problems in the public sector a lot because we work on a referral basis. So if patients are not told about us, they never get to know about us."
She said the national department was usually responsive and helpful when approached with individual cases but "things like machines not working because people are not paid is a serious problem".
Gauteng health spokesman Simon Zwane said: "The hospital has made arrangements to book patients in other machines. Today only a certain number could be accommodated.
"The company has assured the hospital that the machine will be repaired as soon as payment is received."
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