Advocacy

The Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) is proud to have Zodwa Sithole on board as our Head of Advocacy as of June 2020. Zodwa has a wealth of experience which she brings to this important role within the organisation. […]

No matter the level of “lockdown,” evidence shows that people living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are at higher risk of severe complication if they contract COVID-19. As South Africa prepares to move to lockdown “light” at level 3, people living with NCDs (PLWNCDs) need to remain vigilant. CANSA, with input from the Heart and Stroke Foundation SA, Diabetes SA, National Kidney Foundation, Dementia SA and Education for Health Africa, has compiled infographics covering information to assist the public affected by non-communicable diseases and cancer…

29 April 2020 The Honourable Dr. Zweli Mkhize Dear Minister Mkhize RE: Cancer Treatment Challenges During COVID-19 Cancer patients are at increased risk of infection and developing severe complications during this COVID19 era. In line with the call of the […]

14 April 2020 – Vergezocht High Oleic Sunflower Oil has been awarded the CANSA Seal of Recognition marking it as a CANSA Smart Choice product. Their range of high oleic sunflower oil products comply with CANSA’s evidence-based requirements and is […]

Now that the country is in lockdown, and cigarettes, hookah pipes and other electronic vaping devices are no longer being sold, many people have the chance to seize the opportunity to stop smoking when their cigarettes, and other related products run out. This is the perfect time to quit. You have the lockdown period to regain your strength, your money and your health.

The increasingly popular fad of using a hookah, also known as a hubbly bubbly or shisha, can be deadly now as it a potential spreader of the coronavirus, health experts warn…

4 February 2020 – Compassionhat, headwear designed specifically for cancer Survivors, was awarded the CANSA Seal of Recognition status as a CANSA Smart Choice product aimed at improving quality of life and dignity. Sue Richards, owner of Compassionhats, says, “The […]

The University of Cape Town (UCT) , National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), the Health Promotion South Africa Trust and CANSA will jointly observe the first international Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Awareness Day on the 4th of March 2018.

Across the world, October is marked as breast cancer month. It is an opportunity to create awareness, educate people and provide support for breast cancer survivors and those close to them. In South Africa, more than 10 dedicated breast cancer organisations do their bit. No other single cancer in South Africa has that dedicated focus, but one of the greatest obstacles facing women with breast cancer is the exorbitant cost of the essential medicines needed to save their lives.

Open Letter to Governments ahead of the UN High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage September 2019 From promises to progress on Health for All Your Excellencies, Ahead of the forthcoming UN General Assembly, we congratulate Heads of State and Government […]

17 September 2019 – The Cancer Alliance’s new #HeadsUpForCancer campaign is set to target farmers and farmworkers, the community behind one of South Africa’s leading economies but which has been routinely neglected in terms of cancer awareness and care. Knowledge […]

27 August 2019 – Today, marked a historic day for the Mpumalanga Department of Health when MEC for the Department, Sasekani Manzini officially launched Oncology services at Rob Ferreira Hospital situated in Mbombela. The purpose for launching the services is to provide safe cancer care within the province and improve quality of care. CANSA Mpumalanga was invited to the launch and Mandisa Mthembu said a few words on behalf of CANSA at the official opening of a new oncology unit at the Rob Ferreira hospital.

As a member of the SA Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance, the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) is dedicated to improving non-communicable diseases (NCDs) prevention and control worldwide. As part of the second ‘Global Week for Action on NCDs’ (2 – 8 September), CANSA invites the public to participate in taking action against NCDs by joining an event on 6 September in Soweto. The aim is to educate about lowering the risk for cancer, heart diseases, respiratory diseases and diabetes to enable healthy living for all.

5 July 2019 – The official launch in 2017 by South Africa’s former Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, of two new national cancer treatment policies was not just a critical breakthrough in the fight against diseases identified among the leading […]

The South African Non-communicable Disease Alliance (SANCDA) report on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) was recently presented to the new Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, and details Universal Health Coverage as being integral to NCDs equity. READ REPORT CANSA is a […]

31 May 2019 The Minister of Health South Africa Honourable Dr Mkhize On behalf of the Board and Management of the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), I congratulate you on your appointment as the Minister of Health. Your extensive experience […]

CANSA was represented by the Cancer Alliance, of which it is a member, at the World Health Assembly, helping to get the resolution passed: The World Health Assembly approved a milestone resolution to support greater public disclosure of prices for medicines and other health products. Senior WHO officials called it a landmark measure, which could have a lasting impact on lowering prices in markets for urgently-needed health products, ranging from treatments for cancer and hepatitis, to insulin, which today are unaffordable in many low- and middle-income countries.

From 11 to 13 April 2019, policy makers from across the world will gather at Emperors Palace at a forum hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and South African government that is asking: what is a fair price for a medicine? Civil Society Organizations and activists, local and international, have organized a side event at the same venue to discuss the emerging issues in medicine pricing as well as strategies to ensure that people are not denied their right to health due to the ever increasing cost of medicines.  One of the focus areas is the excessive price of cancer medicines in South Africa, with a specific focus on lenalidomide, a drug used for the treatment of myeloma.

The Smart Choice Cookbook with CANSA and B-well is a collection of recipes that focuses on cancer risk reduction. All the recipes were developed in consultation with CANSA’s consulting dietitian Megan Pentz-Kluyts, who is renowned for her knowledge on the role of nutrition in helping to lower the risk of cancer.

CANSA is a founding partner of the South African Non Communicable Diseases Alliance (SANCDA), which was recently accepted as a member of the Non Communicable Diseases Alliance (NCDA).