BY: Mia Malan, Jessica Pitchford, Mohale Moloi, Yolanda Mdzeke, Tsidiso Lechuba, Tshidiso Thangwana, Dylan Bush
- Almost 3 000 people with prostate, breast, cervical and colon cancer are waiting for radiation treatment at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital in Johannesburg.
- 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 even 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 our monthly television show, Health Beat, we visit hospitals with two cancer patients – and compare the help that state and private facilities offer. Mia Malan asks an activist and the head of the National Health Insurance if the scheme can fix our broken health system.
This story was produced by the Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism. Sign up for the newsletter.