Cape Town - Health-care workers and patients at the Brackengate intermediate Care Facility were treated to special care packages on Thursday morning by the Shoprite Checkers group in partnership with the Cape Argus.
Shoprite Checkers donated 580 care packages to Brackengate hospital in an effort to recognise and support both the specially designed Covid-19 facility’s staff and patients.
The packages contained snacks, water, and essential toiletries, newspapers, and greeting cards especially drawn by children from early childhood development centres supported by Checkers.
Brackengate chief executive Leilah Najjaar received the care packs on behalf of the hospital’s staff and patients, saying that she was grateful for the token of appreciation extended to the hospital’s staff.
“We feel especially honoured that these care packs were donated to our staff members, especially after the past few months which have been stressful for everyone.
“The care packs will also raise the morale of our staff.
“We are also grateful for the patient care packs that we will distribute to our patients, these care packs will go a long way to support our patients in need, we greatly appreciate this gesture,” said Najjaar.
Shoprite CSI manager Lunga Schoeman said: “Thank you very much for allowing us to extend this gesture.
“For us, we want to be seen and known as a business of heart.
“This is a small token from the Shoprite group to say that we see and appreciate their work.”
Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo said: “On behalf of the Department of Health and government I want to thank Shoprite Checkers for their wonderful gesture, they extended have extended to our staff and patients.
“Sometimes we forget that the most important part of the system is the workforce.
“We have come a long way here at Brackengate, at some point, we had 332 patients and the facility’s capacity is 336 and yet today we only have 25 patients.”
“Irrespective of the challenges our health-care workers have been facing, they soldiered on.”
Brackengate admin clerk Aphelele Mshweshwe said: “We are very grateful for the goodie bags and what they stand for.
“To be seen and appreciated for the work we are doing feels amazing.”
Dietician Claire Dekorker said: “This is such a wonderful show of appreciation and we are so happy and grateful for it.
“I have seen how exhausted the second wave has left everybody here and this show of good faith will go a long way to cheer their spirits.”
Cape Argus