Everyone knows about KZN’s cancer crisis but no one is talking about the other provinces that operate on just one radiation oncologist — or less.
There is not a single radiation oncologist left in Limpopo or Mpumalanga, according to an annual survey conducted by the South African Society of Clinical and Radiation Oncology.
In fact, half the country’s provinces may be relying on just nine radiation oncologists in Gauteng as cancer services in five provinces buckle.
Gauteng has long been a beacon of hope for cancer patients, catering for the sickest of the sick from across almost half the country — but what happens when Gauteng oncology services begin to fail?
Joan van Dyk is Bhekisisa's news editor.