Durban - Despite having a good medical aid, Pinetown resident Hennie Botha, 52, is facing mounting debt of thousands of rands because of the cost of his cancer treatment. And he is not alone: the exorbitant cost of treatment for cancer in South Africa is way beyond the reach of most citizens.
He was tested for possible allergies and treated with antihistamine and cortisone. But that day was followed by eight more similar attacks, including a severe one on Christmas Day. “The results from this medication are very positive and in my opinion, a miracle. Emotionally as a family, we are in a good place and anchored by our faith.
Cancer Alliance and Access to Medicine Campaign’s project manager, Salome Meyer, said 84% of the population could only access cancer treatment from the public sector, which is available at 10 treatment centres across the country. In the 2017 Cancer Medicines Report, Dr Andrew Hill, Department of Translational Medicine from the University of Liverpool, highlighted the dramatic drop in the cost of HIV/Aids treatment in South Africa since 2002. “This was only possible because patents have been removed, allowing mass production of low cost generics,” said Hill, urging the South African government to reconsider its approach to patented versus generic medicines for cancer.
Cansa’s national advocacy co-ordinator, Lorraine Govender, said: “South Africa’s outdated patent laws are a critical factor driving the vast price difference in oncology drugs.
IOSNewsSA Why cant he get the treatment in govt. Hospitals? Or they dont have medication?