Gauteng’s 2025 Vision: Transforming Cancer Care

Cancer treatment in South Africa remains a major challenge, with financial and systemic barriers limiting access to care. Beyond financial constraints, structural inefficiencies further impact cancer care delivery. The consequences are evident: cancer accounts for approximately 9.1% of all deaths in the country, underscoring the urgent need for improved healthcare services.

Gauteng is challenging the status quo by proving that sustained government investment and commitment can drive local healthcare advancement through self-sufficiency and strategic development. This strategy is evident in the pivotal roles of Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) and Steve Biko Academic Hospital (SBAH), which have housed nine state-of-the-art linear accelerators (Linacs) since 2020.

Each Linac has the potential to treat a significant number of patients per day, with the capacity to manage around 40 to 50 patients under optimal conditions, though actual numbers may vary depending on factors like treatment complexity, scheduling, and machine downtime. This translates to roughly 250 patients per week, 1,000 per month, and up to 12,000 per year under ideal circumstances. If all four major academic hospitals (CMJAH, SBAH, DGMAH, and CHBAH) were equipped with 20 fully operational Linacs, supported by a dedicated team of professionals, they could collectively treat approximately 100,000 to 120,000 patients annually, factoring in realistic operational constraints.

This vision is further advanced by the build of two new radiation oncology outpatient facilities at Dr. George Mukhari Academic Hospital (DGMAH) and Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH), both scheduled for completion before the end of 2025, solidifying Gauteng’s position as a center of excellence in cancer treatment.