The Southland Charity Hospital building fund has been bolstered today by a generous donation from Rio Tinto.

Rio Tinto (NZAS’ majority owner) is donating $100,000 as part of its COVID-19 relief package, a global programme to support communities as they respond and recover from COVID-19.

Southland Charity Hospital general manager Helen Robinson says the charity hospital team is delighted to receive the donation from Rio Tinto. “The hospital is being built by the community, for the community, and NZAS has been a key part of the Southland community for almost 50 years. We are very grateful for their support,” she said.

NZAS chief executive and general manager Stew Hamilton said, “The Southland Charity Hospital is a very worthy recipient of this funding. Although cancer treatment services were largely maintained during New Zealand’s COVID-19 lockdown earlier this year, the delay in screening services during that period will have had an impact on some patients.“

“This facility is going to make a real difference to people’s lives by providing healthcare for those who would otherwise be unable to access treatment,” he said.

© Scoop Media