Note to editors: Please find attached English soundbite by Dr Jack Bloom MPL.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng commends the progress made in cutting biopsy delays for cancer patients following my visit in September last year to the Johannesburg Anatomical Pathology Laboratory which is based at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital.
The backlog then was 1540 specimens in formalin awaiting processing, and 12 756 processed cases awaiting reporting by registrars and pathologists.
I saw piles of samples in buckets crowding the laboratory (see photos here and here), and patients were waiting up to three months for urgent cancer biopsies. The delays worsened their survival chances as doctors need the reports before starting treatment.
At a follow-up meeting this week I was briefed on how the backlog has been eradicated by using private laboratories, reallocating to other National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) laboratories, and overtime work on weekends.
From October 2025 to April 2026, 10 869 specimens were sent to private laboratories at a total cost of R12.6 million, with each specimen costing R1160. Other NHLS labs processed 4206 specimens over this period at R279 per specimen, and 4406 were done with extra overtime.
This turnaround was spearheaded by Head of Department Professor Reubina Wadee, who has also launched a Digital Pathology Hub to transform cancer diagnosis and training.
The key problem is the shortage of pathologists willing to work in state laboratories for less pay than they would get at private labs. The three Johannesburg labs have only 6 pathologists out of 20 posts. More training of registrars is being done, but they often leave for the private sector when they graduate. In 2027, they will be required to do two compulsory years of NHLS service after graduation.
I am heartened by the elimination of the severe backlogs which started five years ago and should never have been allowed to get so high. While it was expensive to clear it by outsourcing to private labs (R12.6 million), it needed to be done to save the lives of patients.
The DA will push for increased training and improved conditions of service for NHLS pathologists, as well as a sustainable and cost-effective partnership with the private sector to ensure timely lab results.