The Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa) places the spotlight on World Cancer Day (4 February), led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), to mobilise urgent action to improve cancer-risk awareness, treatment and care services for all individuals, regardless of who they are and where they live.
To mark the third year of the “Close the Care Gap” campaign, which highlights the significant inequalities that persist across the globe in the availability of and access to essential cancer services, UICC has released the World Cancer Day 2024 Equity Report. The report provides local perspectives and experiences on inequities in cancer care in regions around the world, including South Africa as well as expert recommendations on how to address them.
Cancer reality in South Africa
“Currently, South Africa’s public health-care system is failing to fulfil the right to access to health for cancer patients,” says Cansa CEO Elize Joubert, “due largely to issues with policy creation and implementation, structure of public health care and insufficient resource allocation to cancer control. The reality is that more than 80% of cancer patients in South Africa, who depend on the public system, experience low or no access to screening, care and medicine while also enduring long waiting periods for treatment. Some patients from rural areas travel long distances only to get to a facility that has a shortage of technically skilled oncology staff needed to deliver treatment effectively.
Recommendations and action required
The UICC, in its report, provides nine general recommendations to governments to bridge the cancer-care gap. Particularly relevant for South Africa is an overall integrated approach for cancer control.
“There is no clarity on how cancer services across all levels of care structure will be funded,” added Joubert. “This calls for immediate action in establishing mechanisms and platforms for multi-stakeholder/sectoral engagement, collaboration and cooperation.”
Cansa supports the UICC recommendations, emphasising the need to implement an effective national cancer strategy based on an evidence-based assessment of the countrywide cancer burden, addressing financial hardship and barriers faced by underserved populations. Further, to incorporate comprehensive cancer services into national health benefit packages to achieve universal health coverage.
Sign, send and share
To mark the final year of the Close the Care Gap campaign Cansa joins UICC in mobilising a call to action that echoes the sentiments and recommendations expressed in the World Cancer Day Equity Report.
“Together with UICC, we call for all to sign the a global call to action, informing our Ministry of Health of the need to close the care gap and recommended actions that can help do so,” says Lorraine Govender, Cansa National Manager: Health Programmes, “such as implementing routine screening programmes for common cancers, integrating them into existing health-care programmes, and using telemedicine services and mobile units to reach remote populations. The earlier a cancer is detected the more successfully it can be treated and cost less to the health system.”
Cansa further encourages participation the World Cancer Day 5k Challenge (enquire at your local Cansa Care Centre). Grab a buddy and take part in a 5 km event for Cansa to highlight World Cancer Day. It’s simple, close a loop of 5 km, by walking, hiking, running, swimming or even dancing. Participants can record it on their favourite fitness tracker, post it on a social-media platform of choice and nominate five others to take up the challenge, and help spread the word. And help further by donating R50 towards Cansa’s health education initiatives and care and support programmes.
How Cansa helps to close the care gap
Cansa’s eight Care Homes situated in seven provinces provide home-from-home accommodation, nutritious meals for cancer patients and transport to and from cancer treatment centres. Cansa Tough Living with Cancer (TLC) provides emotional support and guidance to children, teens and families affected by cancer. Cansa TLC Lodges provide lodging for parents/guardians whose children are undergoing cancer treatment in Pretoria, Durban, Polokwane and TLC Tygerberg Teenage Support Rooms on Tygerberg Hospital grounds.
“We further help with our Cansa Information and Support Desks at public hospitals, run by staff and trained volunteers providing information to patients and help with referrals to support groups, Tele Counselling, clinical counselling and other services,” says Govender. “The Tele Counselling is freely available in seven languages to cancer patients, caregivers and families, parents or guardians of children living with cancer.
She adds the importance of getting regular medical check-ups and to do self-examinations to increase chances of discovering cancer early when treatment is most likely to be successful.
“Cansa offers a variety of cancer screenings at our Cansa Care Centres, pop-up screening units and workplace wellness programmes that includes education on recognising the symptoms of cancer and lowering personal cancer risk,” concludes Govender.