Isuzu provides collaborative healthcare support during Covid-19 crisis

Isuzu is a partner for the long run, particularly when it comes to becoming proactively involved in providing healthcare support to the local community. They are involved in a number of initiatives to support the healthcare fraternity in responding to the Covid-19 crisis.

For the past few weeks Isuzu’s Vehicle Conversion and Distribution Centre (VCDC) in Markman Industrial Township, Port Elizabeth, was made available to serve as a centralised logistics and distribution hub for medical supplies required by Nelson Mandela Bay’s hospitals treating Covid-19 patients.

The 2000 square metre VDCD warehouse not only stored the life-saving medical supplies, but Isuzu also oversaw the receipt and distribution of medical supplies to the relevant hospitals with a dedicated fleet of trucks.

This project forms part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber’s Ubuntu Covid-19 initiative. A collaborative approach by businesses in the Nelson Mandela Bay to proactively mobilise resources to support emergency response readiness activities in the region.

With the gradual return of production at Isuzu and subsequent need for operations to return to normal at the VCDC, the medical supplies and equipment have now been moved to global transport and logistics company DSV’s facilities located next door to Isuzu’s Struandale plant.

In April Isuzu also undertook the task of renovating the Livingstone and Provincial hospitals in Port Elizabeth, to increase capacity to accommodate COVID-19 patients who require screening, testing and hospitalisation.

Livingstone Hospital is the dedicated COVID-19 medical institution for hospitalisation in the region and through the company’s efforts an additional 135 beds were created.

They have also made 15 bakkies available for the First Rand’s SA Pandemic Intervention and Relief Efforts (SPIRE) which is directly assisting the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Health Sciences with transportation of personal protective equipment and medical supplies to support community health workers.

Furthermore, Isuzu has increased its vehicle support to the humanitarian relief organisation, Gift of the Givers. The organisation aid food and support for critical medical services on the ground in communities across South Africa.