Making its manufacturing plant situated in Uitenhage available as a temporary medical facility, Volkswagen SA hopes to provide relief to medical facilities that need overflow facilities. The manufacturing site is able to accommodate 4 000 beds which will be available to patients diagnosed with the virus and includes high-acuity patients who require oxygenation. The efforts in converting the 66 000m² building is a result of the collaboration in between VWSA, the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and the Eastern Cape Department of Health.
Providing the R107 million in funding to see the conversion through and the procuring of protective gear (PPE) for staff at regional tertiary hospitals, regional Primary Care Clinics and 49 Covid-19 test centres in the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Tasked with providing and managing the framework to see public and private engagement and fostering a sustainable strategic alliance in Nelson Mandela Bay is Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. In addition to providing project management for the conversion of the facility and procurement of protective gear, Volkswagen SA will further R28 million to the project.
The Department of Health and the NMBM which will be responsible for the management and daily operations of the facility will retain access to the facility until March 2021. Soon after the agreements were signed by all parties involved, the six to eight week of the first phase of the conversion commenced and will be able to accommodate 1 484 patients and will be made available to the Metro as the need arises.
“Solidarity is crucial in a crisis – and Covid-19 is an unprecedented global threat. Through collaboration, we will be able to achieve the position of strength we will need to fight the Covid-19 virus. VWSA has devoted it’s time to finding innovative ways in which we can combat the scourge of Covid-19 and prepare the Metro to care for those who are infected. We are highly appreciative of the financial support from the BMZ/GIZ as it will help us to continue to offer support to protect our citizens and our country,” Thomas Schaefer, Chairman and Managing Director, VWSA.
“We will either beat Covid-19 worldwide together or not at all. That is why I support Volkswagen South Africa’s plan to turn a currently unused factory into a facility for Covid-19 patients. Our contribution forms part of our worldwide Emergency Covid-19 Support Programme. It aims to strengthen and expand health infrastructure, provide emergency aid to stabilise regions in crisis and refugee camps, safeguard jobs and food supply,” Dr Gerd Müller, the German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development.
