Sasol honours Gert Sibande’s public sector health workers
The day’s event was to show appreciation for those in the public health sectors.
HIGHVELD – An event was held for health workers in and around the Gert Sibande District Municipality at the Secunda Sasol Club on Thursday, 29 October.
This was to show their appreciation for those in the public health sectors.
The day’s event was opened in prayer by pastor Mokena followed by motivational speaker Mr Ernest Tshabalala (Dynamic Grace Counsellors) giving a word of gratitude and motivation to those who have been working tirelessly in the public health sectors during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Senior vice president of Secunda Chemicals Operations, Mr Simon Baloyi, Ms Flora Maboa Boltman (chairman of the board), Ms Sasekani Manzini (MEC of Health) and Mr A Maboa Shirwa (member of the mayoral committee) also conveyed a message of appreciation on behalf of Sasol, Govan Mbeki Municipality, Gert Sibande District Municipality and the Mpumalanga Department of Health.
The event was rounded off with a walk of honour and a celebration dance.
“Sasol appreciates and thanks the health care professionals for their bravery, for going above and beyond their call of duty and for their self-sacrificing courage.
“They are our everyday heroes, working selflessly with compassion to perform lifesaving work on the Covid-19 frontline, while placing themselves in harms way, with limited resources and immense pressure,” said Mr Simon Baloyi.
Sasol has worked with various stakeholders to flatten the Covid-19 curve since the national lockdown was announce in March this year.
These contributions include:
• Donating more than 144 150 liters of alcohol-based sanitiser to health and education institutions such as Evander Hospital, locals schools in Mpumalanga; GMM, GSDM, Dipaleseng, Lekwa and eMalahleni municipalities; the South African National Defence Force and the South African Police Services; local taxi associations and other government departments.
• Rolling out Covid-19 education and awareness programmes in collaboration with the Gert Sibande District Muncipality.
• Donating general hygiene and safety-kit items such as masks, gloves, sanitisers, hand soaps, linen, blankets, cutlery and medical aprons to the Evander and Standerton TB hospitals.
• Loaning three mobile science laboratory vehicles, fueled by Sasol, to assist the Department of Health with their community screening and testing campaign. This was done in partnership with the Sasol Foundation and the Sasol’s Education flagship programme, Osizweni Science Centre.
• Sasol also provided 10 administrators to assist the health department with data capturing.
•The donation of 66 mattresses and toiletry packs to homeless people currently housed at the shelter at the Kinross Golf Club Lapa in GMM.
Sasol has also put in place proper measure and controls, which are aligned to the Department of Health regulations, to ensure that it safeguards the health and wellbeing of its employees. These include protocols to manage positive cases.
Health workers have been working tirelessly and have been spending most of their time assisting and caring for patients on a daily basis only to end up forgetting to priorities their own health conditions.
It was said that many health workers have developed a variety of health issues ranging from hypertension, strokes among many other health issues while expected to provide health care services to others. This in return causing harm to their own mental and physical wellbeing.
“The department appreciates the dedication and cooperation by all health workers in the fight against Covid-19 ensuring that people continue to access comprehensive health services.
“Let’s avoid resurgence of Covid-19 by adhering to strict social distance, wearing masks, washing our hands with soap and water or use sanitiser,” ended Ms Manzini.
