Groote Schuur Hospital upgrades cancer care with new chemotherapy unit

CAPE TOWN

Groote Schuur Hospital has officially opened its upgraded outpatient chemotherapy room and modernised pharmacy facilities to improve care for Western Cape cancer patients.

The R5.2 million project will reduce overcrowding and ensure safer preparation of chemotherapy drugs for around 3,000 new patients annually (source not provided).

Government departments, civil society groups, Groote Schuur Trust and private donors funded the facility upgrades.

Western Cape Health MEC Mireille Wenger stated: “This project is a shining example of what can be achieved when government, civil society, donors, and healthcare professionals work together with one goal in mind: to offer patients hope.”

She added: “Together, we have not just built a room. We have created a space of care, comfort, and compassion that will serve thousands of patients for years to come.”

Hospital CEO Dr Shaheem de Vries thanked contributors, saying: “Their generosity ensures that we can provide safe, dignified, and high-quality care to patients who need it most.”

Dr De Vries noted: “These contributions do not just build facilities – they open doors of hope and possibility for thousands of families across the Western Cape.”

The upgraded facilities are now fully operational.