MDF Magazine Issue 62 7 August 2020 (7)

KZN Branch
Before Covid-19
OUR COVID-19 SUPPORT TO OUR PATIENTS
When Covid-19 hit the other countries globally during the latter part of 2019, like most of us we had never
thought it would take us by storm sooner than we expected. At the beginning of the year, whilst Covid-19 was not
taken as seriously as we take it now, and just before the pandemic could hit South Africa, our branch’s executive
committee sat around the table to discuss the branch’s strategic planning for the year, amongst other important
branch issues. Top on the agenda was a very important topic, and that was how we should budget for emergencies
such as this pandemic and what effect it could have on all of us. Our priority on the topic was to give immediate
attention to the way we manage our finances to ensure that, should we be faced with this pandemic, we
have funding to take care of our patients and the effects it could have on us.
Compliance remained an important factor for us on the understanding that the needs of our patients would be a
greater during a crisis than before. A decision was taken to redirect some operational funding to cover an emergency
plan whilst at the same time ensuring that our financial accountability remained our number one priority. It
was agreed to budget a one-off amount of R500 per patient should the need arise for emergency cash to assist
with purchasing medication, masks, sanitisers or groceries.
The decision taken by the branch executive committee to redirect some of our over-budgeted operational costs
to an emergency fund was indeed an excellent financial plan, as national lockdowns were announced mid-March
and have since been extended further.
During Covid-19
When the lockdowns were announced, our emergency plans were immediately implemented in April. The branch
had to follow lockdown protocols, and our day-to-day office continuity plan was implemented by working remotely.
Contact was made with other NPOs in Durban, who without any hesitation teamed up with us by providing
assistance with food hampers. Information was extracted from our branch back-up database to communicate via
emails and SMSs to all our patients and parent/guardians, requesting that the branch be contacted as soon as
possible so that we could check on their well-being and explain our support to them in respect of the Covid-19
one-off assistance.
The response was unfortunately not as high as we expected. This could be due to changes of contact numbers
or email addresses and the branch not being notified of the change in information. For the people we did receive
a response from, verification processes were conducted and the one-off amounts were deposited into their bank
accounts. Some parents opted for the food hampers, which were delivered to their homes by arrangement. With
the lockdown in place and travel restricted, we are grateful to all the essential service NPOs who were authorised
to travel to deliver the food hampers for us without any hesitation.
We are making an appeal to our patients and parents/guardians who are on the database in KZN and who have
not received the emails or SMSs to please contact our treasurer, Raj Mahadaw, on the emergency number 082
455 6399, so that we can assist you. You are also welcome to email us with your updated details. Our email address
is accountskzn@mdsa.org.za.
We seek your assistance in participating in the Casual Day 2020 sticker sale. Feel free to call our office on 031
332 0211 or email accountskzn@mdsa.org.za.
We trust that our assistance and support to you during this time of Covid-19 will mean hope.
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