By Ebi Kesiena
The closure of the Cervical Cancer Screening and Prevention Clinic at Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg has left hundreds of patients, many living with HIV, facing uncertainty and overburdened public hospitals.
After over two decades of service, the clinic shut down in May following the withdrawal of its funding from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
The clinic, which handled approximately 1,400 patients annually, provided essential services such as Pap smears and colposcopies, helping to detect and prevent cervical cancer, one of South Africa’s deadliest cancers among women. Most of its staff have now been dismissed, and patients are expected to be referred to already strained facilities like Chris Hani Baragwanath and Rahima Moosa hospitals.
A specialist gynaecologist with the Clinical HIV Research Unit, Dr. Mark Faesen, on Monday warned that the closure will increase waiting times and compromise early detection, which is crucial to successful treatment outcomes. Meanwhile, patients from underserved communities, some travelling from distant areas like Springs, are among the hardest hit.
Zinhle, a former patient, described the clinic as a place of dignity and care after months of failed attempts to access help elsewhere. “Where else are we supposed to go?” she asked, disheartened by the shutdown.
The Department of Health acknowledges that while HPV vaccination efforts have improved, screening and treatment remain inadequate. The national health policy recommends regular screening, especially for women living with HIV, but current resources fall short.
Also, Lorraine Govender of the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) described the closure as a serious setback. Faesen, however, emphasised the urgent need for decentralised, well-funded screening services and trained personnel to prevent further gaps in cancer care.
