Three companies joined forces to make this mass Covid-19 vaccine drive possible in a remote part of South Africa. Eurolab joined forces with Sabi Sand and Dis-Chem Pharmacies to plan and roll out the programme. Nothing but passion, hard work and collaboration made this vaccination drive possible. Well over 2 000 vaccines were administered, an effort which saw the Mpumalanga region’s overall vaccine numbers increase substantially.

Dis-Chem provided the vaccine infrastructure, set up the vaccination site and administered the vaccines. Eurolab supported the initiative, and through its subsidiary Oncolab, is also establishing a Covid-19 testing station with same-day results for the Sabi Sand staff and guests. The closest testing facility is over two hours’ drive away.

Oscar Mthimkhulu, CEO of the Sabi Sand, said, “This vaccine drive aims to achieve reserve and community-wide immunity, attract visitors back to one of South Africa’s major eco-tourism destinations and retain jobs. Tourism in South Africa has been hard-hit by the Coronavirus pandemic, and Mpumalanga has not been spared.”

Lynne Du Toit, Eurolab CEO, said, “The more jabs we can get into arms, the quicker South Africa can return to a sense of normality across all sectors, and especially health, eco-tourism and conservation. The Covid-19 testing station set up by our specialised testing facility, Oncolab, will make it easy and quick for guests and staff to take a test and get their results on the same day.”

Speaking from the Dixie village vaccination site, Ivan Saltzman, Dis-Chem Pharmacies CEO, said, “We are pleased that we were able to lend our expertise in setting up this mass vaccine site at the Sabi Sand and hope that this effort will boost tourism in the area. It also demonstrates our commitment to expanding vaccine access. Dis-Chem Pharmacies is directly involved in the national vaccine rollout and has established numerous vaccine sites across the country. We can set up vaccine sites where they are needed.”

Mthimkhulu concluded by saying, “We are committed to ensuring the health and safety of our guests and employees. The United States-approved Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are being administered, which is an important consideration especially for tourists from the United States.”

Covid-19 remains a threat to people who are unvaccinated. Some people who get COVID-19 can become severely ill, which could result in hospitalization, and some people have ongoing health problems several weeks or even longer after getting infected.

The post Covid-19 vaccine drive at Sabi Sand first appeared on Eurolab.

Eurolab is committed to keeping its staff and stakeholders up to date with accurate information about the Coronavirus pandemic. Our primary source of information is the South African government’s Coronavirus portal which houses the latest media statements, resources for employers and organisations to share with their teams and information on the spread of the virus, hotspot areas, number of infections etc. There is a lot of misinformation that is circulating which only curtails the country’s efforts to curb the spread manage the pandemic. We commend our Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, for his leadership during this pandemic and look forward to the rollout of more COVID-19 vaccines.

Supporting staff to ensure uninterrupted operations

When the pandemic hit South Africa in March last year, we responded quickly. Our staff were provided with the resources they needed to work effectively from home, and as platforms like Zoom and Teams quickly emerged, we were able to manage our teams and operations effectively. In achieving this, we were able to support oncologists and their cancer patients amidst a lot of fear and uncertainty.

Throughout the pandemic, Eurolab has continued to introduce new cancer medicines into its product portfolio. We secured licenses for our sales reps to visit oncologists, duties they performed with diligence to ensure everyone’s safety. Practices were contacted in advance, and as many open-air engagements as possible were arranged. In addition, our and reps were tested for COVID-19 every second week.

With our teams now back at work, rigorous safety protocols are in place across our operations.

Cancer patients more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection

It was concerning to the Eurolab team that those more vulnerable to COVID-19 included cancer patients. We took action by providing masks and sanitisers to the practices of our trusted oncologists and joined forces with Spar to distribute care packs to cancer patients in need. The packs included sanitisers, masks, food items and toiletries.

Helping young cancer patients in public facilities

We also teamed up with Rainbows and Smiles to help healthcare workers spoil their young cancer patients with special treats. Food parcels were donated to paediatric oncology wards at several hospitals including the Steve Biko Academic Hospital, the George Mukhari (Ga-Rankuwa) Hospital, the Unitas Hospital and the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital.

Ramping up COVID-19 testing

Our oncology and haematology testing facility, Oncolab, expanded its specialised testing services to include COVID-19 testing for cancer patients and staff working in oncology practices. To alleviate the pressure on public and private laboratories, Oncolab has launched two drive-through COVID-19 testing facilities at its operations based at Midstream Medical Centre.

Gamma Knife South Africa

Strictly observing all safety protocols, the specialist Gamma Knife South Africa team at Netcare’s Milpark Hospital continued to treat patients suffering from diseases or abnormalities in and around the brain throughout the pandemic. The Gamma Knife is a less invasive alternative to microsurgery and treatments are completed in a single day without the need for hospitalisation.

Aseptic Services Unit (ASU)

Meanwhile, our ASU team in Midrand, Johannesburg, ensured the facility was ready to support public health departments and hospitals with the provision of quality-assured chemotherapy for cancer patients in rural and peri-urban areas. Testing and stability studies were conducted at the facility to maintain its South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA)-approved standards. This world class sterile Admixing facility centrally mixes chemotherapy bags with extended stability, and aims to safely deliver pre-mixed bags to treatment centres. Our goal is to support cancer patients in remote areas and minimise costly and exhausting travel to larger hospitals, where waiting periods can be long. For healthcare workers, The ASU makes for seamless administration of patient chemotherapy.

The post Our COVID-19 response first appeared on Eurolab.