Eastern Cape Cancer Patients Affected by Drug Shortage

Original Article by Estelle Ellis | Daily Maverick | 20 May 2025

Eastern Cape cancer patients face a dire situation as treatment interruptions arise from the health department's payment failures.

Eastern Cape cancer patients face a dire situation as treatment interruptions arise from the health department’s payment failures.

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Dr Thembisile Xulu is the new health Director-General, inheriting a strained department, healthcare-worker shortages and NHI litigation.

Gauteng is losing 100 nurses a month and needs R5.7bn to fill a 16,000-post gap. This shortage now flagged as a key risk to the NHI rollout.

Regulation, not demand, blocks affordable cover: medical schemes should be allowed to offer low-cost benefit options (LCBOs) now.