The Solidarity Fund announced on Wednesday that it has committed to support the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) with a R250-million grant, which will be used to conduct another 1.1-million test as coronavirus (Covid-19) cases increase across South Africa.

This will help government’s efforts in ramping up testing, tracing and quarantining to slow the spread of the virus. 

To date South Africa has recorded 52 991 Covid-19 cases, 1 162 deaths and 29 006 recoveries.

The Fund’s Healthcare lead Jonathan Broomberg said the organisation is committed to make efficient and accessible testing and analysis available to as many South Africans as possible to ensure the optimal containment of Covid-19.

Solidarity Fund interim CEO Nomkhita Nqweni said as the pandemic evolves, the fund will continue to play a role in supporting the national health response.

Meanwhile, the Fund has also given the South African Medical Research Council and a consortium of universities a grant of R88-million to ramp up testing in their virology laboratories.

Once operational, as many as 12 000 tests a day can be conducted.

The Fund has also granted R20-million to Dischem and Global Health Innovations Laboratory to roll out free testing at walk-in testing facilities. This is expected to add an additional 33 000 tests.

Dischem will arrange testing facilities at a number of shopping mall parking lots at its own cost, including the provision of nursing and other staff, as well as personal protective equipment for these staff.

Testing at these facilities is consistent with current government testing guidelines and includes a complete pathway from screening to communication of results, with full reporting of results to patients and the authorities. 

“Widespread Covid-19 testing not only helps provide individuals with valuable information to assist them to better manage their own health, it assists epidemiologists to better identify positive cases, track and trace potential contacts to further slow transmission of the virus. In turn, this helps protect the public health system, frontline healthcare workers and to assist the health authorities to identify potential hotspots to manage the impact of the pandemic. Testing also provides valuable data to help determine whether containment measures are working,” said the Solidarity Fund in a statement.