Patients in Beaufort West who need lifesaving dialysis and chemotherapy have to travel for 10 hours for help, with some having to book overnight stays for their treatments 300km away, reports GroundUp.
The provincial Health Department said it has no immediate plans to introduce these treatments in the area any time soon.
One patient, Phoebe Stephenson, makes the arduous 10-hour round trip to the George National Renal Care centre three times a week for treatment. Stephenson was diagnosed with a chronic kidney disease in April 2025, so every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, she and seven other patients from Beaufort West are transported to George by HealthNet, a patient transport service run by the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness.
She said the weekly trips are exhausting. “It’s five hours to the hospital. Then I have four hours of dialysis … Then I must still sit in a vehicle for another five hours to go back home.”
Some of the patients with whom she travels are receiving chemotherapy and have to arrange overnight stays because they cannot sit through the five-hour drive back to Beaufort West.
Stephenson’s husband, Juan, told GroundUp, “I have personally witnessed the exhaustion of the dialysis patients and it is not good. Something must be done urgently to resolve this terrible situation.”
He said he worries more on days when he is not allowed to accompany his wife.
“I used to travel with her as an escort because of complications she picks up after dialysis, but that was stopped by the transport supervisor.”
He said his wife had to be admitted to a hospital in Mossel Bay after her dialysis treatment on 12 October. “She was alone; no paperwork could be done. They admitted her and stabilised her but nothing further until I managed to get to Mossel Bay the next day.”
The provincial Health Department confirmed that the district hospital in Beaufort West does not offer dialysis services, and that “there are no immediate plans to introduce these services at the hospital”.
“The department empathises with patients who need to travel longer distances to access dialysis services. We understand the additional burden on them and their families, particularly those who require regular, ongoing treatment,” said department spokesperson Nadia Ferreira.
She said specialised treatments like dialysis are offered only at tertiary hospitals. “The same goes for any other specialist treatment provided. An appointment will be made at these hospitals and transport provided via HealthNet.”
Ferreira said the department was open to exploring partnerships with private facilities to improve access to services.
Between 1 January and 30 September 2026, the Central Karoo division transported 962 patients to George. Of these, five patients required regular transportation to George three times per week for dialysis treatment, according to the department.
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