MSD Global Oncology Policy Grant

Study Title

Legal frameworks and policies: advancing innovative approaches to cancer care in South Africa

Study Description

This is a collaborative research study with the Cancer Alliance, the Cancer Association of South Africa, Global Health Unit, Institute of Cancer Policy, Kings College London and Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand. The study explored whether a dedicated National Cancer Act in South Africa will provide the necessary long-term national goal-setting and accountability framework to link with other legal and human rights mechanisms, to ensure equitable population-based cancer healthcare services and appropriate patient protection.

Desktop Review Summary Report

The Cancer Alliance, the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), the Institute for Cancer Policy at Kings College London, and the Department of Family Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, as part of the study titled “Legal frameworks and policies: advancing innovative approaches to cancer care in South Africa,” contracted the Dullah Omar Institute for Constitutional Law, Governance, and Human Rights (DOI) to conduct a desktop review of six countries with dedicated national cancer acts, evaluating these against a human rights framework. This desktop review, alongside assessing existing South African health and legal frameworks, highlighted specific gaps from a cancer perspective. Findings from the review are contained in the summary desktop review report and can be accessed here.

Policy Brief

The policy brief was conducted as a research collaboration between the Cancer Alliance, the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), the Institute of Cancer Policy, King’s College, London and the Department of Family Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine,  University of the Witwatersrand, with contracted research support from the Dullah Omar Institute for Constitutional Law, Governance and Human Rights, University of the Western Cape. The purpose of the policy brief is to share considerations for a National Cancer Act in South Africa and guide decision-makers and stakeholders on requirements for goal setting, funding, and accountability mechanisms. These outcomes are crucial to ensuring equitable access to comprehensive population-based cancer care for all in South Africa, particularly as South Africa is facing a growing cancer burden. Access the policy brief here.

Publication

Access the publication (24 January 2024) in ecancermedicalscience titled: Harnessing the law to advance equitable cancer care in South Africa: exploring the feasibility, desirability and added value of a dedicated national cancer act here.

Funding

Funding for the study was received from the 2021 MSD Independent Oncology Policy Grant Program.