On Thursday, a R416m oncology unit was officially opened at the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha, a milestone that deserves celebration.
The unveiling represents hope, dignity and a long-overdue intervention for thousands of cancer patients in the Eastern Cape who have had to endure exhausting journeys to access specialised treatment.
For years, patients from OR Tambo, Alfred Nzo, Chris Hani and Joe Gqabi districts have faced the additional burden of travelling hundreds of kilometres to facilities in KuGompo City and Gqeberha for radiotherapy.
For people already battling a life-threatening illness, these journeys have meant additional financial pressure, physical exhaustion and prolonged separation from their families.
The new oncology centre promises to change this reality. With chemotherapy, radiotherapy, brachytherapy and specialised inpatient services under one roof, the facility represents a significant expansion of the province's public healthcare capacity.
Its two linear accelerator machines and 68 dedicated inpatient beds, including beds for children, demonstrate the scale of the investment.
This is an important step towards addressing the inequalities that have historically characterised access to specialised healthcare in rural and under-resourced communities.
However, while the opening deserves recognition, government must understand the real work begins now.
A world-class building does not automatically translate into world-class healthcare. Modern equipment must be operational, adequately maintained and supported by skilled professionals.
The centre needs sufficient manpower to ensure patients receive timely and appropriate treatment.
The provincial health department must also ensure that the additional funding allocated for commissioning and staffing translates into an effective, fully functioning service.
There must be no situation in which patients arrive at a magnificent new facility only to discover that equipment is not working, specialists are unavailable or treatment schedules are disrupted by shortages of essential resources.
Equally important is the need for an efficient referral system linking district hospitals and community health facilities to the new centre.
Early detection remains critical in the fight against cancer. Communities must be educated about cancer symptoms, screening and the importance of seeking medical attention early.
The Eastern Cape has made an important investment in the lives of its people. The people of Mthatha and surrounding districts deserve a healthcare facility that is not only impressive in appearance but consistently delivers the quality of treatment promised.
The opening should therefore be seen not as the end of a project, but as the beginning of a new responsibility.
For cancer patients and their families, this centre must mean fewer kilometres on the road, reduced financial hardship, quicker access to treatment and, above all, the opportunity to receive care closer to home.
The R416m question is no longer whether government can build a world-class oncology centre. It is whether it can sustain one.
The people of the Eastern Cape deserve nothing less.