Dis-Chem funded to conduct free Covid-19 tests
The widespread Covid-19 testing not only provides individuals with valuable information to better manage their own health, it assists epidemiologists to better identify positive cases, and track and trace potential contacts to further slow transmission of the virus.
With the rampant increase in Covid-19 infections and with very few people being able to afford private Covid-19 testing, The Solidarity Fund has partnered with Dis-Chem to roll out free testing.
The Solidarity Fund, a non-governmental organisation which has been on the forefront of funding projects to flatten the infection curve, announced that it has funded Dis-Chem and Global Health Innovations Laboratory with an initial R20 million grant to roll out free testing at walk-in testing facilities for those who are not on medical aid and cannot afford the cost of a test.According to this organisation, this service is aimed at communities that are underserved, and it’ s expected to add an additional 33 000 tests.
“The funding provided by the Solidarity Fund is allocated purely towards the cost of testing. Dis-Chem will arrange testing facilities at a number of shopping mall parking lots at its own cost, including the provision of nursing and other staff, as well as personal protective equipment (PPE) for these staff. Testing at these facilities is consistent with current government testing guidelines and includes a complete pathway – from screening to communicating results, with full reporting of results to patients and the authorities,” explained Viwe Tlaleane, spokesperson for The Solidarity Fund.
Tlaleane added that the widespread Covid-19 testing not only provides individuals with valuable information to better manage their own health, it assists epidemiologists to better identify positive cases, and track and trace potential contacts to further slow transmission of the virus.
“In turn, this helps protect the public health system and frontline healthcare workers, and assists the health authorities to identify potential hot spots to manage the impact of the pandemic. Testing also provides valuable data to help determine whether containment measures are working,” he explained.
The interim CEO of the Solidarity Fund, Nomkhita Nqweni also added, “As the Covid-19 pandemic evolves, The Solidarity Fund continues to play a vital role in supporting the national health response, contributing to humanitarian relief efforts and mobilising South Africans to drive a united response to the Covid19”.
Apart from this huge project, The Solidarity Fund has supported the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) with a grant to the value of R250 million, which will assist the NHLS to procure reagents that will enable a further 1,1 million tests to be conducted.
The Fund supported the South African Medical Research Council and a consortium of several universities with a grant of R88 million to scale up testing in their virology laboratories. This is expected to add capacity for up to 12 000 tests per day once fully operational.
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