Johannesburg, South Africa Sasol, AngloGold Ashanti and Imperial have created a partnership to protect frontline medical staff and patients at four major Gauteng state hospitals by providing bulk supplies of hand sanitizer at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic, Charlotte Maxeke Academic, Helen Joseph and Leratong hospitals.

It is crucial to have enough supplies of hand sanitizer to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in hospitals. The current precautions being taken at all medical facilities and the expected increase in cases in the months ahead will require medical facilities to have more than their usual stock of sanitizer. The partnering companies have worked closely with the dedicated clinical managers at the hospitals to find an innovative way to address the need for sanitizer in a sustainable way.

Sasol has significantly intensified its relief efforts towards COVID-19 by generously agreeing to support the increased production of the hand sanitizer and will share the cost of production with AngloGold Ashanti, which will also provide the specially manufactured bulk-storage tanks for the product. Imperial, which is playing a pivotal role in ensuring South Africa’s supply chains continue to function, has brought its freight and logistics expertise to bear by ensuring that the sanitiser tanks are safely transported from Sasol to the four hospitals in Gauteng. Additional partners will be sought to ensure this project is not only sustainable but could perhaps be extended to other facilities.

Until there is a vaccine for COVID-19, general hand hygiene remains an effective line of defense. Experience from around the world has shown that partnerships are an effective way to increase the impact of relief efforts. 

“We’re proud to join hands with our peers at Sasol and Imperial in this crucial effort toward our collective goal of flattening and eventually bending the curve,” Dr. Bafedile Chauke, AngloGold Ashanti Vice President: Health, says.  “A partnership that brings together not only capital, but complementary assets and skill sets will be vital to changing the course of this pandemic.”

As the number of positive Covid-19 cases continue to rise in South Africa, hospitals across the country anticipate a huge influx of patients in the coming weeks. In addition to normal, extensive use of sanitizer in hospitals, all staff and patients will be screened before entering hospitals and will need to sanitize their hands before entering, compounding the existing shortage of the product.

Says Thabiet Booley, Senior Vice President of Sasol’s Base Chemicals division: “Sasol recognises its duty and responsibility to support our fenceline communities and society at large in these challenging and uncertain times.  Through our strategic partnership with AngloGold Ashanti and Imperial, we are pleased that our internally produced sanitisers will provide these hospitals with hand disinfection hygiene support to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading to frontline medical staff, patients and visitors.”

“We are united in the mission to keep those at the frontline of this battle safe from infection,” adds Imperial Group CEO, Mohammed Akoojee. “We are honoured and humbled to play a part in delivering much-needed goods and some peace of mind in these highly uncertain times.”