RICHARDS BAY, South Africa — Rio Tinto together with Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) has joined forces with PinkDrive, a health sector NGO, to launch a campaign aimed at bringing essential health screening to under-resourced communities in celebration of Mandela Month. The two-week campaign focused on early cancer detection, health screening and education will begin in the King Cetshwayo District in KwaZulu Natal on 1st July and the OR Tambo Health District in the Eastern Cape on 8th July.
The campaign will deploy a fully equipped and staffed mobile clinic to provide free community health screenings including mammograms, pap smears, clinical breast examinations, PSA testing for prostate cancer, lung screenings, skin cancer screenings, and primary healthcare services related to glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure.
Werner Duvenhage, Managing Director RBM and RTIT -African Operation said, “Partnerships like these exemplify our commitment to creating shared value and contributing towards social change. This initiative came out of our desire to do more for the communities in the countries where we operate. Our efforts to bring these health services closer to those in need will undoubtedly make a profound impact. We are proud to have partnered with PinkDrive and launching this campaign during Mandela Month.”
PinkDrive’s unique and innovative mobile cancer screening units contain state-of-the-art equipment managed by specialised medical personnel. With funding from Corporate South Africa and working closely with the Department of Health, more people in more areas can be reached and ultimately begin to close the cancer gap in South Africa.
Noelene Kotschan, CEO and Founder of PinkDrive NPC said, “PinkDrive was founded on the premise that ‘Early Detection Can Prolong Lives’. In provinces such as KwaZulu Natal and the Eastern Cape rural and peri-urban residents struggle to access healthcare. Partnering with Rio Tinto an organisation that prioritises the investment of resources into the communities in need enables us to reach these communities.”
Through a close collaboration with the District Health Departments, diagnosed patients will be referred to local clinics for treatment. The campaign will also include an educational component aimed at providing guidance on basic preventive measures individuals can take. All services provided by the PinkDrive program comply with the standards set by the National and Provincial Health Departments.
About Rio Tinto
Rio Tinto is a leading global mining and materials company, operating in 35 countries and producing iron ore, copper, aluminium, critical minerals, and other materials needed for the global energy transition and for people, communities, and nations to thrive. Our purpose is finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs – striving for innovation and continuous improvement to produce materials with low emissions and to the right environmental, social and governance standards.
Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) is a world leader in heavy mineral sands extraction and refining. RBM mines mineral-rich sands in the northern KwaZulu-Natal province and produces materials used in a wide range of everyday products, from paints to smartphones. RBM is committed to sustainable practices and making a positive impact on the communities it serves.
About PinkDrive NPC
With the health of vulnerable South Africans their priority, PinkDrive NPC with partner organisation More Balls than Most (MBTM) powers South Africa’s mobile mammography, gynaecology units, health educational personnel and gender-related cancer testing services to areas where local clinics may be under-resourced. PinkDrive NPC was founded on the premise of preventing as many people as possible from succumbing to gender-related cancers with its focus on ‘Early Detection Can Help Prolong a Life.