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– Due to the government’s failure to repay its debts
—Many people died as a result
sweet potato
EraSouth African hospitals are now refusing to admit cancer patients from Lesotho after the government failed to repay a long-standing debt. The lack of viable oncology centres in the country has put cancer patients at risk and many have died as a result, a parliamentary committee has heard.
The distressed patients claimed that they were mistreated as officials at these hospitals told them that they could not get priority treatment due to the government’s default in payments.
Accountant General Malehlohonolo Mahase told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) last week that they had paid R114 million of the R218 million owed to South African hospitals for cancer patient referrals.
She said the outstanding balance would be paid once the budget request was approved, but the payment, if any, would provide little comfort to cancer patients.
lie
IHowever, it is not clear whether the money has actually been paid to South African hospitals as Ms Mahas claimed. It is now clear that the government has been lying by claiming that payments have been made to service providers, including the long-suffering ones in Lesotho. Many service providers are still struggling to get paid as rumours circulate that only those who funded the Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) 2022 campaign to win power will be paid after coming to power.
South African hospitals have a long history of turning away cancer patients from Lesotho. The M$218 million owed by the Free State Department of Health was accrued since 2016. It is not clear when the M$114 million demanded by Ms Mahas will be paid.
this Sunday Express The Free State Provincial Department of Health in South Africa reported in mid-March that on February 28 this year, the provincial health department asked the Lesotho Ministry of Health to repay part of the 218 million rand owed for cancer patient treatment.
The Free State Department of Health has demanded that the Lesotho government pay at least R66 527 690.67 of the R218 493 423.23 by Tuesday 31 March 2024.
The information was contained in a letter written by the head of the Free State Department of Health, MNG Mahlatsi.
The letter, titled “Follow up on outstanding debts and payment plans for referrals to the University and Pelonomi hospitals in Lesotho”, was addressed to the now retired Director General of Lesotho Health Services, Nyan Letseye.
Admission
AAt the time, Health Minister Selibe Mojoborone admitted that the government owed a cumulative debt of more than RM218 million to two hospitals in the Free State, namely Pelonomi and Universitas, for treating cancer patients since 2016.
Due to the lack of treatment capacity in the country, the government sends cancer patients to the University of South Africa Hospital and Pelonomi Hospital for treatment.
But due to debt issues, Lesotho patients now have to wait at least seven months to receive treatment in South Africa.
This came to light during a visit by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Social Cluster to the Sankatana Oncology Centre in Maseru on Friday.
The committee hopes to ascertain the status of the centre so as to make appropriate recommendations to the Ministry of Health. The center currently does not have the capacity to treat confirmed cancer patients.
televisionKabelo Mputsoe, a clinical radiation oncologist at the institution, told the committee that the government needed to act quickly because of the high mortality rate among cancer patients.
“Our patients have to wait seven months just to get into South Africa, which is too long. It is very painful to watch the patient’s life deteriorate during the waiting period from the day we diagnose the cancer patient. We have seen patients die while waiting,” said Dr Mpso.
She therefore urged the government to consider changing service providers in South Africa.
frustration
Social Cluster Committee Chairperson Mokhothu Makhalanyane is frustrated by the lack of cancer centres in Lesotho.
He said construction of the cancer centre had been delayed for “irrational and selfish reasons”.
He said the project was launched in 2011 but has not been completed due to “political reasons”.
“We tried our best to make progress but the Basotho were very selfish. They blocked the project and it could not go ahead. I hope the Basotho could see the suffering of their fellow countrymen because there is no cancer treatment centre in the country.
“Despite allocating the budget, the project has not made progress. They are busy fighting the project in court, thus restricting its progress,” he said angrily.
Suffering patients
A Guardian of a cancer patient Sunday Express On Friday, she said her sister was dying a slow and painful death before their eyes and there was nothing they could do to change the situation.
Mario Pita said her sister was diagnosed with anal cancer last November. She said her sister seemed healthy and could still walk at the time of the diagnosis.
However, eight months on from the diagnosis, no treatment has been received and Ms Pita said they were turned away three times in Bloemfontein while her sister’s living conditions continued to deteriorate.
She said she is now bedridden.
“When my sister was diagnosed with cancer, she was healthy and able to do things on her own. Eight months later, she still has not received any treatment and can’t even use the toilet on her own,” she said.
She said they were turned away on their first visit to Bloemfontein and asked to do an ultrasound scan, and on two subsequent visits they were told there were no beds available for her sister.
“When hospitals turned us away, they openly told us they would not prioritize us because our government owed them,” she said emotionally.
In another case, Malefitsaneh Lazona told Sunday Express His wife was diagnosed with colorectal cancer last December and had been waiting to receive treatment in Bloemfontein. But that never happened.
Similarly, they were refused admission to Bloemfontein Hospital three times, all on the grounds that there were no beds available.
“The last time we went to Bloemfontein was in May and we were told to come back on July 15 (tomorrow). Treatment has been postponed so many times and it scares me because I worry whether my wife will eventually get help.
“My wife’s health was deteriorating day by day and I could do nothing but watch her die. She even tried to commit suicide at one point, taking an overdose of morphine and demazone tablets and all the other medicines she was receiving at Sankatana.
“I’m worried we’ll still be turned away from Bloemfontein because they told us not to get our hopes up because they’re not sure if there will be beds,” he said.
Debt Schedule
ohno?19dayFebruary 2016Universitas invoiced Queen Mamohato Memorial Hospital (UNH/QMM1) for R31,385,477.77. R30,000,000 was paid, leaving an outstanding amount of R1,385,477.77.
Unless the M114 payment alleged by Ms Mahase is true, the R30 million is the only recorded debt of Universitas and Pelonomi Hospitals between 2016 and 2024. If the government did pay for it, it is unclear why the patient was turned away.
exist 17day November 2016Universitas invoiced Queen Mamohato Memorial Hospital (UNH/QMM02) for R35,607,727.49 but failed to pay.
Other invoice lists and dates
Thirteenday May 2022an invoice of R19,173,914.31 from Universitas (UNH/QMM24).
16day May 2022from Pelonomi (0020) an invoice of R252,237.21.
08day June 2022invoice R221,855.17 from Pelonomi (0021)
04day July 2022Universitas invoice (UNH/QMM25) R18,301,765.89
Twenty-sixday September 2022an invoice of R18,262,723.66 from Universitas (UNH/QMM26).
12day October 2022invoice R1,235,916.80 from Pelonomi (0022)
12day December 2022invoice R787,137.69 from Pelonomi (0023)
09day January 2023 Invoice from University (UNH/QMM27) R21,961,808.92
17day April 2023Universitas invoice (UNH/QMM28) R25,317,901.33
Twenty-sixday April 2023invoice R350,369.94 from Pelonomi (0024)
10day May 2023?Invoice from Pelonomi (0025) R108,860.56
twenty threeroad May 2023Universitas invoice (UNH/QMM29) R4,038,265.61
twenty threeroad May 2023Pelonomi invoice (0026) R523 978.35
01English StoneJune 2023Universitas invoice (UNH/QMM30) R4 688 763,14
08dayJune 2023Pelonomi Invoice (0027) R425 295.02
20dayJune 2023Universitas invoice (UNH/QMM31) R4 194 691,61
Thirteenday July 2023Pelonomi invoice (0028) R100 255.93
20day June 2023Universitas invoice (UNH/QMM32) R3 836 435.30
16day August 2023Pelonomi’s invoice (0029) R50 278, 90
31English Stone August 2023invoice from? University (UNH/QMM) R18 184 618.30
07day September 2023Pelonomi Invoice (0030) R459 259,96
thirtyday September 2023Universitas invoice (UNH/QMM34) R4 248 716,72
11day October 2023Pelonomi invoice (0031) R152 742.52
31English StoneOctober 2023University invoice (UNH/QMM35) R18 590 259.78
08day November 2023invoice from Pelonomi (0032) R695 175.10
thirtydayNovember 2023Universitas invoice (UNH/QMM36) R8 542 152.45
thirtyday December 2023Universitas invoice (UNH/QMM37) R6 023 770.39
twenty twond January 2024invoice from Pelonomi (0033) for R330 740.77
twenty twond January 2024invoice from Pelonomi (0034) R440 326.63
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