South Korea company donates 600 test kits to Pta central care centre

Six hundred rapid test kits donated to the Sediba Hope medical centre in central Pretoria will go a long way in helping it fight infectious diseases, the centre said.

The kits test for a range of diseases such as HIV, Covid-19, syphilis, and hepatitis.

They were handed over at the centre in a ceremony on November 15 attended by the Korea Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Kotra) and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea.

The donor company, SD Biosensor, is also Korean.

It is believed that through early detection, patients would have a better chance of survival.

Vanessa Hechter, the CEO and founder of the medical centre, said their patients are “people who don’t have IDs, who aren’t South African, drug users, and sex workers”.

“All of them are vulnerable members of society that come across barriers when trying to access healthcare in the public system,” she said.

As a care centre operating under a public-private business model, partnerships are key to helping their patients.

The centre, which has branches in both Bosman Street and Sunnyside, was founded in 2012.

It has been offering affordable, accessible and adequate healthcare options for residents in the metro since its inception.

“We fill that gap between access to healthcare and our beneficiaries. Through working with organisations, NGOs, universities and others we can get help to the people who need help,” Hechter said.

“Thank you, SD Biosensor for your valuable help. We will use the donated diagnostic kits for the health of Tshwane’s citizens.”

SD Biosensor is a global in-vitro diagnostic company that manufactures rapid test kits.

The centre is just one of the many non-profits that it has worked with globally.

“We aim to find and work with other NGOs in South Africa in due course,” said team leader Derek Lee.

“I hope this donation will assist with addressing the difficulties of the medical vulnerability of certain groups in South Africa.

“We will continue to actively contribute to society for those in need of help.”

Ahyung Song, a senior specialist for Kotra, said the company was also looking for more partners to collaborate with.

“We want to make sure these tests go to people in need. Thus, we are planning to find and collaborate with more NGOs in the country,” Song said.

Around 13.7% of South Africa’s total population is believed to be living with HIV.

This means that South Africa has the highest number of HIV/Aids cases in the world.

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