Gauteng DOH welcomes court granting it leave to appeal judgment on provision of radiation services

JOHANNESBURG - The Gauteng Department of Health has welcomed a decision by the Johannesburg High Court granting it leave to appeal a judgment on the provision of radiation services to cancer patients.

The department made the appeal on 2 April, a few days after judgment was handed down on the matter.

It followed a long-drawn legal bid by human rights organisation Section 27 and the Cancer Alliance to secure radiation treatment for almost 3,000 patients at the Charlotte Maxeke and Steve Biko Academic hospitals.

The judgment, granted in March, outlined that the health department must set aside R250 million for the oncology services.

"The department will now proceed with the appeal process to ensure that the issues raised in the judgment are comprehensively assessed and clarified," said department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba.

"We want to reiterate that we remain committed to improving access to life-saving oncology services and we believe that a full legal assessment will support the responsible and effective allocation of resources in the public interest."