Chronic patients suffer as doctors stay away in Mthatha

An elderly Eastern Cape cancer patient cannot receive treatment at  Nelson Mandela Academic hospital in Mthatha because doctors are not at work.

The 78-year-old from a rural village in Libode said he was supposed to receive treatment for his prostate cancer  on Monday but he was told by a nurse not to come to the hospital.

The man's daughter followed up with the hospital but was told that doctors treating cancer patients were at home.

Visibly weak when DispatchLIVE visited him at home this week, the man said he feared what could happen to him if he did not receive treatment.

“They detected prostate cancer in me and I am worried because this is the same illness that nearly killed me in 2006,” he said. .

“Those specialists told me that I have prostate cancer and they will take samples for tests and all that. I was anxiously waiting for my results. I called them last week Thursday but was shocked when they told me not to come. Those officials or nurses did not even tell me to come back for my results so that I can get the right treatment.”

The man had been in remission for 13 years since being treated at Frere Hospital in East London. “I nearly died in 2006, but I was helped at Frere Hospital. Imagine now if there are no doctors to help us. We will die. This is scary. While the government is fighting Covid-19, it has neglected its cancer patients,” he said.” he said.

The retired businessman said others who had no means of getting medication or assistance were dying at home in the OR Tambo district.

“In this region people travel from as far as Flagstaff, Lusikisiki, Port St Johns and Mthatha to visit St Barnabas Hospital to be treated for their cancers. Some like me are referred to Mandela hospital. The painful part is that no-one follows those who have been turned away, no-one knows where they are and how they are surviving at this time.”

People he knew relied on catheters and needed to be attended to by specialists.

“Men cry in pain. When they are told that their doctor is not available to help them, they feel like taking their own lives. This is painful for many elderly folks in the region, both men and women are suffering. Cancer is painful and needs a caring health care system, but ours has failed.”

His daughter said they were not sure what to do next to do.

“We relied on these hospitals. I was shocked by that treatment. My father is dying of cancer, so are other people in the area. Why they are not catered for? Must they die because the department cares for Covid-19 patients only?”

She said the nurse who told her that doctors would not be available had also been rude.

Another woman whose child needed treatment at Mthatha General Hospital was turned away on Thursday.

“I am being turned away. These people are telling me that I am not allowed in the hospital with my child. This child is sick, what can I do,” asked the woman, struggling to hold back her tears.

“I am a first-time mother and I don't know what to do.”

Health department head of department Dr Thobile Mbengashe said: “We cannot ignore our patients and we still immunise every child that comes in. We make sure that the patients are attended to and things like oxygen is available.”

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