De Beers Venetia Mine unveiled a R10 million coronavirus (Covid-19) testing laboratory on 30 June in Musina that will be utilised to test the mine's employees and contractors. Discussions are also underway with the Department of Health on how to assist with the government's screening efforts in its labour-sending areas of Musina and Blouberg.
According to a press release issued by the mining company on Wednesday morning, the laboratory will play a vital role in the diagnostic testing process of Covid-19 for employees and contractors and is expected to analyse at least 80 tests per day, with a 24-hour turnaround time for results. Operated by two technicians, the high-throughput laboratory is fully equipped with a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machine and other vital equipment, including, among others, storage fridges, biosafety cabinets and centrifuges to increase testing capacity and analyse test samples to help speed up diagnoses and curb the spread of the virus.
"If aligned to the Limpopo Department of Health's testing strategy, the laboratory will also analyse test samples from the Musina Hospital, Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital and Helena Franz Hospital, which are the local health facilities identified for screening positive Covid-19 patients from Venetia and the communities surrounding the mine," the company said. Venetia Mine has also appointed three clinical associates and provided vehicles to allow them to conduct home-based responses as part of the company's WeCare Programme. The programme is designed to encourage employees and contractors to protect themselves from exposure and transmission of Covid-19, as well as monitor and manage their health, should they test positive.
The new laboratory is one of several efforts by De Beers Group and Venetia Mine to contribute to the local, national, and global fight against the pandemic. "As a business, our first and most important value is to Put Safety First. We value the health and safety of our people above all else and are equally committed to delivering support to our host communities throughout this difficult period. The PCR laboratory is one element of our range of proactive response measures to support the fight against this global pandemic and through which we hope to increase access to testing, not only for our employees, but also communities in partnership with the Department of Health," said Mpumi Zikalala, managing director of De Beers Group Managed Operations.
Among those attending the unveiling on Tuesday was Limpopo MEC for Health Dr Phophi Ramathuba. "We welcome this development as the Department of Health as it will go a long way in assisting us as government to deal with the current testing backlog. As a resource-constrained department, we do appreciate every single collaboration, especially the likes of this laboratory, which not only will focus on testing employees at Venetia Mine, but community members as well," Ramathuba said.
Through the company's Covid-19 Community Response Plan, Venetia Mine has made a significant contribution towards food security, water provision and local government clinic support since the government announced the national lockdown in March. To date, Venetia Mine has provided food parcels to vulnerable households within the Musina and Blouberg Local Municipalities and has donated much-needed groceries to Helena Franz Hospital, Musina Hospital, and the Musina Showground Shelter for the homeless. "Through our water provision projects, the mine, as an emergency interim measure, installed a 10 000-litre water tank with four additional taps for the Simpson Village in Blouberg and also cleaned, repaired, and recommissioned the existing 100 000 litre reservoir, thereby restoring access to a sustainable water supply to the village," says the press release.
According to the company, the mine's local-government clinic-support programme will assist 11 local health facilities, including two clinics and one public hospital in Musina and six clinics and two hospitals in Blouberg. The programme will also focus on:
* Providing two ventilators to local hospitals;
* Facilitating training for healthcare workers, faith leaders and traditional healers in the local clinics, through training videos and professional training;
* Providing Clinical PPE, including the provision of medical equipment for safety and temperature checking; and
* Providing medical supplies such as surgical masks, disposable gowns, examination gloves, goggles, scrubs, thermometers, and clinicians for further clinic support, based on the facility's needs.
"As Venetia Mine, we recognise the important role that we play in our host communities, not just from a socio-economic perspective, but also the provision of a number of vital services. We fully support the government's efforts to reduce the impact of Covid-19, and we are proud of the work we have been able to do alongside the Limpopo government, community leaders and our various partners in providing necessary support to the vulnerable members of our society during these challenging times," said Mr Gerrie Nortje, the general manager at Venetia Mine, during the unveiling ceremony.