Mpumalanga will get its first-ever state-run oncology unit next month. MEC of the Department of Health, Sasekani Manzini, announced during her budget speech last week that the oncology centre will be opened at Rob Ferreira Hospital.

“Our people were travelling to Gauteng to seek specialised care, including cancer treatment,” she said.

Manzini acknowledged that the department has a shortage of health professionals, but department spokesman, Dumisani Malamule, said that a team has been appointed to provide the chemo services.

According to Malamule, the area is ready and a laminar flow machine will be used for chemotherapy mixing. He said the services will function on an outpatient and inpatient basis.

ALSO READ: UPDATE: Missing Barberton teen found safe and unharmed

“The department would like the community to know that availability of chemotherapy services will reduce the journeys to Gauteng.” He added that it will cater for children as well.

According to Manzini, the department is in the process of bringing in other services in state hospitals. To achieve this they have partnered with Wits University.

“The priority for this year is oncology (cancer), cardiology (heart diseases), nephrology (kidney diseases) and radiology (x-rays) services and to support Rob Ferreira to obtain accreditation for registrar training,” she said.

Izelle Pretorius from Moving Mountains for Cancer Patients, the charity supporting cancer patients, said the cancer treatment service will make a big impact on locals.

ALSO READ: Projects strained for fresh produce market

“We will now refer people to a local health facility, a big thing for us. It will make life easy for them, since they will not have to pay expenses to Pretoria. Every week we have about two to three people who travel for treatment. When they open this facility they will receive it locally,” she said.

Manzini agreed that the health sector was facing many challenges.

To address negative staff attitude and long queues, the department plans to strengthen its patient triaging system by allocating a dedicated official who will monitor the queues in health facilities.

They will improve records management by installing a filing system which will improve the retrieval of files as well as prevent the loss and duplication of files.

These will be installed at Rob Ferreira, KwaMhlanga, Tintswalo and Ermelo hospitals this financial year.
A queue ticketing system is to be introduced at Themba Hospital.

The Mpumalanga Department of Health has reduced accruals from R851 million in 2017/18 to R581 million in 2018/19 and fruitless expenditure from R16,5 million in 2017/18 to R2,8 million in 2018/19.