JIK, South Africa’s favourite bleach brand, is making a real difference to the lives of millions. Together with UNAIDS and local healthcare impact agency Triple Eight, JIK is distributing more than 660,000 bottles of bleach in 22 countries throughout Africa, including South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Egypt, Angola and Comoros. Locally, the trusted disinfection brand is teaming up with the National Department of Health to help make hundreds of the country’s public health clinics germ free*. This campaign is particularly important in the face of increasing COVID-19 infections and the COVID-fatigue that the public are experiencing.
Around 40,000 bottles of JIK will be distributed to clinics in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, as part of the #JikItForTheFrontline campaign. Health workers will be deployed to provide training to clinic frontline workers to ensure that high-touch surfaces are disinfected regularly and effectively. Jik product will be used for these purposes. Jik will ask frontline workers to make a pledge for ongoing work in the fight against COVID-19 and also thank them for their heroic efforts through personal donations of buckets, cleaning cloths and Jik products for their own homes. Patients will be educated on how to create an effective surface cleaning solution for their homes cost effectively by diluting Jik in water and shown which are the high priority surfaces in the home and workplaces that they need to be aware of, to prevent the spread of germs and diseases.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the Department of Health having to work differently specifically as it relates to responding to issues and challenges inherent in our facilities, particularly in the primary health care facilities across the province. This has in a sense, also compelled not only the Department, but society at large to re-socialise itself into the basic hygiene practices that are key in combating the spread of diseases such as the COVID-19 virus. In this regard, the bottles of JIK that are being donated today are a reminder to us that, at the core of improving health outcomes, specifically preventing disease, is the adherence to basic hygiene practices,” explains Gauteng Acting MEC for Health Jacob Mamabolo. The MEC points out that “At the heart of fighting the Coronavirus is the strong partnerships we have fostered with various sectors of society including the corporate sector. The fight is far from over as we prepare for a possible second surge.
We need to strengthen adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions on maintaining physical distance, wearing a mask and regularly washing our hands with soap and water and alcohol based sanitiser including and cleaning of surfaces with disinfectants remains important.” Research shows that the Coronavirus can remain on surfaces for up to 9 days. It is common knowledge that germs spread though contact with surfaces, and it’s crucial to keep them clean.
According to Professor Venter, “Regular, normal cleaning of surfaces using standard household products, like water and bleach, are sufficient. We have a responsibility to let the public know that such simple household products are effective, especially given the way the pandemic has impacted families disposable incomes and because we don’t know for how long this pandemic will continue.” JIK, a leading household brand, has been keeping South Africans protected by killing 99.9% of illness-causing germs. Marketing Director for RB Africa, Hygiene, Yawer Rasool adds, “Access to high-quality hygiene, wellness and nourishment is a right for all people, and through this campaign, we are playing our part to help the African continent deal with COVID-19.
Much of what this pandemic requires of us are strict behaviour changes around household hygiene and JIK is the perfect arsenal in any family’s cleaning toolbox”. This intervention will help approximately 200,000 patients and 40,000 frontline workers in public health facilities in South Africa each day.
