New breast Health Clinic at CMJAH
- FHS Communications
The University of Witwatersrand, in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Health and private companies Barberry Group Holdings and Novartis South Africa, have opened a new Breast Health Clinic at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH).
Launched on World Cancer Day, February 4, 2025, the clinic will serve as a multidisciplinary hub for the Faculty of Health Science’s training, research, and clinical care programmes. Wits Adjunct Professor and general surgeon at CMJAH, Jenny Edge, succinctly noted the significance of this initiative, saying, “This process is about bridging private and state, about academic and clinical.”
She says that this new space will build on the hospital's already well-established data system to support patient care and research efforts. Edge, whose extensive career as a breast surgeon is intertwined with breast cancer treatment stressed that the management of breast cancer is a multidisciplinary task that requires well-run systems and collaborations to achieve the best outcomes for patients.
To ensure this, she says the clinic would adopt new systems that are informed by patient feedback. One such change is to entirely use a booking system to schedule appointments for patients. “We've moved to electronic referrals clinic because we all think it's fine to have a walk-in clinic. That actually means the transport is not provided for the patients,” she explains.
The clinic will expand the training of the Wits Faculty of Health Science’s clinical students in this fast-growing area of expertise. Professor Thifhelimbilu Luvhengo, the Wits Clinical Head of the Department of Surgery, says that this new facility will benefit students as the theory they are taught in class is now accessible in an environment that is favourable for first-hand clinical training. He adds that students will now “touch, feel and see” patients providing an invaluable understanding and hands-on interaction of the disease.
This move will ensure that the country’s public sector has healthcare professionals who are adequately skilled in diagnosing and treating breast cancer thus meeting the critical need for more extensive cancer care in South Africa.
In addition to improving the quality of healthcare, this venture solidifies Wits' commitment to approaching healthcare education and research as a tool for solving local problems at a global standard. Professor Tanya Augustine spoke about “Value in Research, from Bedside to Bench,” which unpacked how clinical observations should also consider patients' needs when translated into scientific research. This new clinic space will allow a conducive and dedicated environment for quality “bedside engagements.”
Augustine, whose research focus is Tumour Biology – directly linked to abnormal cell biology that develops into cancer is, says that such value in research starts with meaningfully listening to patients. She says that researching biomarkers as predictive models has enhanced the preventative interventions for cancer, adding that although some research is not tangible, it is a necessary step to “investing in the future”.
The establishment of the new Breast Health Clinic underscores Wits Faculty of Health Sciences’ bid to bridge academia, public healthcare, and private sector partnerships. This initiative not only enhances cancer care but also strengthens the Faculty’s mission to equip future medical professionals with world-class expertise through patient-centred research and cutting-edge training.
