A new study by a South African haematologist has revealed inequalities in access to life-saving blood cancer and blood disorder care and how a patient’s postcode could determine their chances of survival, as it could mean the difference between being able to access proper care or not.
According to the study by Dr Brigid McMillan, national coordinator at the University of Cape Town’s Haematology Research Laboratory, just more than 60 clinical hematologists serve SA’s population, equating to roughly one specialist per million people.
McMillan said patients with blood cancers and blood disorders have little or no access to specialist treatment.
“These numbers represent real people facing life-threatening conditions,” she said.
McMillan is the first recipient of the esteemed John Hansen research grant and is conducting a comprehensive hematopoietic stem cell transplant services audit to understand how patients with blood cancers and blood disorders access life-saving care in SA.
The research maps the availability of specialist staff, diagnostic laboratories, blood banks, radiology facilities and transport routes across the nation.
Her study has discovered that of SA’s 13 transplant centres, only four are in the public sector and just one offers comprehensive care.
McMillan said early findings highlight how limited infrastructure affects outcomes.
“The shortage of clinical hematologists means many patients face delayed diagnoses, long travel distances and minimal specialist follow-up. For some, this prevents them from ever reaching curative treatment.
The shortage of clinical hematologists means many patients face delayed diagnoses, long travel distances and minimal specialist follow-up. For some, this prevents them from ever reaching curative treatment
— Dr Brigid McMillan
“We are working with deeply personal stories of patients who often feel invisible in the healthcare system. Geographic location shouldn’t determine whether someone can access potentially life-saving treatment, but it does.”
McMillan aims to create a comprehensive national picture of where services exist, where gaps remain and what infrastructure improvements could make the biggest difference. The research will provide data to help policymakers, healthcare planners and medical institutions strengthen cancer and blood disorder care.
But McMillan stressed that systemic change does not rest solely with the government and medical professionals.
“Every South African can be part of the solution. Stem cell donor registration remains a critical need. It takes minutes, but for someone facing a blood cancer or blood disorder diagnosis, it could mean the difference between life and death,” she said.
Palesa Mokomele, head of community engagement and communications at DKMS Africa, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to fighting blood cancer and life-threatening blood disorders, said: “Every South African deserves a chance to live, no matter their postcode, income or background.”
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