November 2020.

Loeriesfontein Wind Farm and Khobab Wind Farm have extended their COVID health programme, by providing additional support to a number of health facilities within the Hantam Municipal Area, these include Loeriesfontein Clinic; Loeriesfontein (“Hospital”) CHC; Abraham Esau Hospital (Calvinia); Namakwa Disaster Management Committee.

In addition to extensive PPE equipment, Oxygen machines have been funded. Known as high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) devices, they are the preferred equipment in the treatment of hospitalised COVID patients, offering a non-invasive oxygen therapy, instead of mechanical ventilation. Similarly, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines are used, which have also been provided.

Loeriesfontein CHC hospital has been identified by the Department of Health as one of the COVID-19 quarantine sites for the municipal region and required both a CPAP machine and a High Flow Oxygen machine. Likewise, Abraham Esau Hospital, in Calvinia, which provides treatment and 24-hour care to communities for all conditions including COVID-19, received four of each of these machines.

“Medical experts in South Africa and across the world are seeing positive outcomes from using high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO), a non-invasive oxygen therapy, instead of mechanical ventilation. In general, patients require hospitalisation for much shorter periods, and it has the added benefit of taking pressure off strained health services,” stated Vanessa Fredericks Economic Development Manager for Khobab Wind Farm and Loeriesfontein Wind Farm.
The added advantage to the HFNO is that it can be used not only in a high-care unit but also in normal and acute beds and for a range of treatments post-COVID.

Building material for the Abraham Esau Hospital’s COVID-19 isolation ward, has also been funded, to improve patient care.