Advocacy

Fix the Patent Laws

CANSA Advocacy is now represented on the steering committee of this campaign. On 8th August 2017 the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) published the Draft Intellectual Property (IP) Policy of the Republic of South Africa. The Fix the Patent Laws campaign welcomes the publication for public comment. The draft policy identifies public health as […]

Published: 6 December 2017
Updated: 11 December 2017
Categories: Advocacy

KwaZulu Natal (KZN) Access to Treatment Concerns

According to the briefing by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) dated 23rd August 2017, a report was compiled that found the Department of Health (DOH) violated the rights of patients with cancer at Addington and Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospitals to have access to health care services as a result of their failure to comply with […]

Published: 6 December 2017
Categories: Advocacy

Women’s Health Day Celebrations with Minister of Women in the Presidency

Minister Susan Shabangu led a Cancer Awareness Day on Sunday, 29 October 2017 in Duduza Township, Nigel in Ekurhuleni. CANSA was invited to be part of this awareness and offer information and much needed screening, together with the Department of Health and Pink Drive. The Minister emphasized that women’s health is a human’s right issue; […]

Published: 1 December 2017
Categories: Advocacy

Policy Framework & Strategy for Ward Based Primary Healthcare Outreach Teams – Advocacy for Cancer Care Content Input in Community Health Workers Training

CANSA and the Cancer Alliance (CA) have been part of the consultative process on the implementation of the Policy Framework and Strategy for Ward Based Primary Healthcare Outreach Teams (WBPHCOT). The intention of the policy is to strengthen the collective response in dealing with the burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD’s), HIV/AIDS and TB and to […]

Published: 1 December 2017
Updated: 11 December 2017
Categories: Advocacy

Cervical Cancer: Prevention and Control Policy launched

Cervical cancer has also been identified as a national priority in South Africa as well as other Sub-Saharan African countries. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in South Africa, but has the highest mortality of any cancer in women in South Africa. Although this is a preventable disease, due to limited […]

Published: 1 December 2017
Categories: Advocacy

Breast Cancer: Prevention and Control Policies launched

The Breast Cancer Prevention and Control Policy addresses breast cancer awareness, prevention, treatment and care in South Africa. It provides the clinical support for women, who are both at-risk of developing the disease later in life and are currently undergoing treatment, to survive and live healthy lives. As the cancer with the highest incidence in […]

Published: 1 December 2017
Updated: 11 December 2017
Categories: Advocacy

Input to South Africa’s Draft – National Cancer Prevention and Control Plan (NCCP)

In August 2017, the National Department of Health (NDoH) invited stakeholders to submit comments on a draft document of the NCCP for South Africa. This document was said to be providing an overview of the major cancer prevention and control initiatives, focused on the burden of cancer in South Africa. CANSA, together with Cancer Alliance, […]

Published: 1 December 2017
Updated: 1 December 2017
Categories: Advocacy

CANSA Addressing Negative Impact of Poverty on Cancer Services

The huge inequalities in healthcare in South Africa result in most people being unable to access effective oncology services due to the poverty that exists particularly in our rural communities. Poverty has far-reaching implications for those with cancer. CANSA as a partner of the Cancer Alliance is helping to address the needs of these cancer patients. #LetsTalkAboutCancer #RightToHealth

Published: 28 November 2017
Updated: 14 December 2017
Categories: Advocacy

CANSA & Cancer Alliance Lobby to Re-Engineer SA Health System for Integrated Cancer Care

CANSA is working together with partners to convince the government and health authorities to recognise cancer as a priority disease, as the number of South Africans being diagnosed, is rising rapidly each year. It is important to increase the budget allocated to reducing the national cancer burden and also to train more cancer specialists, so that all patients have equal access to quality treatment and care. #LetsTalkAboutCancer #RightToHealth

Published: 30 October 2017
Updated: 29 November 2017
Categories: Advocacy

Fix the Patent Laws – Timeline of Intellectual Property Reform 1994-2017

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Published: 24 October 2017
Updated: 24 October 2017
Categories: Advocacy

Patient Groups March for Access to Medicines in South Africa

24 October 2017 – Pretoria: More than 1 000 members of the Fix the Patent Laws Coalition (FTPL), will march to the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) rallying in support of government’s efforts to fix South Africa’s patent laws and remind law makers that people’s lives depend on the rapid conclusion of this law reform process. View Cancer Alliance Patent Barriers Report, Final Draft Intellectual Property Policy and Timeline of Patent Law Reforms in SA…

Published: 24 October 2017
Updated: 25 January 2021
Categories: Advocacy

Cancer Alliance Patent Barrier Report

Cancer rates in South Africa are expected to rise significantly over the next two decades. Along with a growing cancer burden, states will be confronted with rising and unaffordable prices for cancer medicines. Poor quality patents are taking lives every day. We need patent law reform now…

Published: 24 October 2017
Updated: 23 November 2017
Categories: Advocacy

CANSA CEO is UICC Delegate at 67th Session WHO Regional Committee for Africa

The Cancer Association of South Africa’s CEO, Elize Joubert, is joining the 67th session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa, taking place in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, from 28th August to 1st September 2017, as the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) delegate, on behalf of UICC Management, and delivering statements at this meeting.

Published: 29 August 2017
Updated: 10 March 2021
Categories: Advocacy, CANSA - Who We Are

CANSA a Partner of Cancer Alliance Educating to Remove Cancer Stigma

You’re being avoided by loved ones, friends or colleagues, even blamed for your diagnosis. People in your community believe you have brought this diagnosis on yourself, because you are cursed or bewitched. Others avoid you, because they fear that they will ‘catch’ cancer from you… CANSA and the Cancer Alliance are working together to promote awareness and education around cancer and dispel myths and mistaken beliefs such as these, that may lead to the stigmatisation of cancer patients and loved ones. #CancerAwareness #LetsTalkAboutCancer

Published: 15 August 2017
Updated: 6 December 2017
Categories: Advocacy

Fix the Patent Laws – Patient Groups Welcome Release of Draft Intellectual Property Policy

On 8 August 2017, the Department of Trade and Industry published the Draft Intellectual Property Policy of the Republic of South Africa, Phase I, 2017. CANSA a partner of the Fix the Patent Laws Campaign (FTPL) welcomes its publication for public comment. Many people in South Africa continue to die and suffer because they cannot access the medicines that they need. This policy provides hope to those people. It is now up to government to deliver on this promise by swiftly implementing wide-ranging law reform in line with this policy.

Published: 15 August 2017
Updated: 25 January 2021
Categories: Advocacy

CANSA a Partner of Cancer Alliance Lobbies for Cancer Training & Education of Health Care Workers

Published: 5 July 2017
Updated: 6 December 2017
Categories: Advocacy

Why is the Cost of Oncology Drugs so High?

CANSA’s Advocacy Team responds: Oncology drugs are undoubtedly one of the biggest cost drivers in healthcare today. The advent of biologics or targeted treatments has been a notable evolution in the oncology treatment paradigm, with the greatest downside coming from the significant costs associated with these drugs. The high drug costs are multi-factorial…

Published: 3 July 2017
Updated: 11 July 2019
Categories: Advocacy

SAHRC Acts to Protect Cancer Patient’s Rights to Adequate Healthcare

CANSA welcomes the South African Human Rights Commission’s actions towards protecting cancer patients’ rights to adequate healthcare, and has been actively lobbying with partners for the same outcome…

Published: 20 June 2017
Updated: 11 July 2019
Categories: Advocacy

KZN: Celeste Serfontein – Radiation Administered too Late

Celeste Serfontein stayed at the CANSA Mkhuhla Care Home for a few weeks receiving daily radiation therapy – treatment which had been delayed until it was too late for her to benefit from it. She was not able to complete this treatment as she was too weak. Sr Linda Cipolla (CANSA) mentioned that sadly Celeste […]

Published: 20 June 2017
Updated: 2 October 2017
Categories: Advocacy

Competition Commission Investigating Pharmaceutical Companies for Cancer Medicine Prices

The South African Competition Commission has recently announced that they will be conducting an investigation into pharmaceutical companies and the exhorbitant prices of cancer medicines. CANSA is playing an active part in the process of influencing and amending the Patent law.

Published: 14 June 2017
Updated: 25 January 2021
Categories: Advocacy

CANSA Interview with CNN re SA’s Cancer Doctor Shortage Crisis

Jacqueline Howard, Feature Writer, for CNN Health & Wellness, interviewed Dr Melissa Wallace, the Cancer Association of South Africa’s (CANSA) Head of Research, regarding the crisis unfolding in KZN: the last public health radiation oncologist in Durban, South Africa, quit last week. Now, experts worry that cancer patients unable to afford private care will suffer…

Published: 14 June 2017
Updated: 25 January 2021
Categories: Advocacy