COVID-19: Relief Fund benefits healthcare workers and communities
Bayer South East Africa and the South African Medical and Education (SAME) Foundation are working to ensure healthcare facilities have adequate medical equipment
While the risk posed by Covid-19 appears to be decreasing, many communities, healthcare workers and facilities are still under tremendous strain.
Bayer South East Africa and the South African Medical and Education (SAME) Foundation are working to ensure healthcare facilities have adequate medical equipment, personal protective equipment (PPE) and mental health support through the Covid-19 Relief Fund.
‘We cannot put aside the impact that Covid-19 has had in South Africa, with over 100 000 deaths and new cases reported daily,’ said Bayer South African CEO Klaus Eckstein.
He explained that they established Covid-19 Relief Fund to create partnerships that address the needs of impacted communities and primary healthcare workers.
Tyrone Pols from SAME Foundation said they launched a massive Covid-19 response campaign at the onset to meet the needs on the ground.
He said it was at this time that Bayer approached the foundation with the mandate of identifying the most crucial needs, which included facilities for storing vaccines.
According to Pols, the Covid-19 Relief Fund provided vaccine refrigeration to Queen Nandi Regional Hospital in Empangeni.
The hospital’s acting CEO, Dr Menitha Sanjowan, said, ‘Covid-19 just brought every single gap and problem that we had to the fore. We had all the effects of the pandemic.
‘We had to struggle with equipment, we had to struggle with PPE, and we lost quite a few staff members to Covid-19.
‘Our facility serves a rural impoverished demographic of approximately 2.6 million patients.’
She said vaccines have been the only way to effectively deal with the pandemic, and that the refrigeration facilities were a lifesaver.
‘From the time the freezer arrived, the vaccine roll-out has been magnificent. We have had positive feedback from the community.
‘We have had patients come to us from as far as Pietermaritzburg, Hillcrest, Ballito and Durban. It has been extremely efficient. We didn’t have huge queues and we found ways to manage. It’s been exceptional,’ she said.
She explained that they have, so far, vaccinated more than 18 500 people.
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