Solidarity Fund to buy medical equipment worth R405m for hard-hit provinces

A nurse in full PPE inside the Nasrec quarantine/isolation site in Nasrec, 3 July 2020. Picture: Neil McCartney

In a statement on Friday, Solidarity Fund interim CEO Nomkhita Nqweni said the fund would purchase medical equipment for Gauteng hospitals – including the Nasrec field hospital – beds and ventilators for the Western Cape, and ward capacity and oxygen devices in the Eastern Cape. Nqweni explained that the national health response to Covid-19 was being coordinated according to demand for health services, based on modelling of the Covid-19 impact in each province.

“Given the projected peak of the pandemic and the high population density in the province, the funds will be used to purchase high care equipment in existing hospitals and to equip the field hospital at Nasrec,” Nqweni said.In the Eastern Cape, R76 million will increase insufficient ward and ICU capacity, as well as address the urgent need for oxygen devices.

“The locally-manufactured ventilators are expected to be delivered at the end of August in line with the predicted infection peak.”Nqweni explained that since its establishment, more than R2 billion from the Solidarity Fund has funded initiatives to prevent and support those affected by the pandemic.

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