DOES THE RIGHT TO ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN TERMS OF SECTION 27 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH AFRICA, 1996 CATER FOR CANCER PATIENTS?

Abstract

Does the right to health care services as provided in terms of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, cater for cancer patients due to the expensive nature of cancer treatment and, if so, to what extent? One of the major socio-economic rights which cancer patients struggle to access is the right to health care services, which is currently dependent on the economic or financial position of a cancer patient, which is, unfortunately, the deciding factor in South Africa as well the entire continent of Africa. The financial or economic standing of a patient or a cancer patient, in this case, will determine if the patient will receive adequate cancer treatment or not. Does the economic or financial position of the cancer patient serve as a valid and justifiable reason for the right to access to health care services to the 75 per cent of people in South Africa who rely on public health care services for different health deformities that include cancer and, if so, to what extent?