Coyne Healthcare was approached to support a vulnerable Eastern Cape community during the pandemic, so the company developed a targeted supplement to help boost their immunity.
South Africa (15 July 2020) – A local health company has developed an immune-boosting supplement specifically for a vulnerable community to help protect against infections like Covid-19 and is donating a month’s supply to 10 000 residents.
Kevin Coyne, CEO of Coyne Healthcare, was approached to support a vulnerable Eastern Cape community during the pandemic, so his company developed a targeted supplement to help boost their immunity.
“South Africans are mostly nutrient deficient, resulting in compromised immunity, so for us, the starting point should be to use nutrients to build stronger immunity to help protect against illness. While social distancing, masks and sanitisers may play a role, the immune system is vital for protection – and science confirms that addressing nutritional deficiencies is critical. Neglecting this is counter-productive,” he said.
Coyne’s initiative comes amid an open letter from dietician groups, noting that good nutrition is essential to defend against disease and calling on the government to address malnutrition. At the same time, the SA Society of Integrative Medicine (SASIM) has prepared a research review paper, demonstrating that deficiencies of vitamins D and C, zinc, selenium and magnesium lead to increased casualties in the pandemic.
Coyne’s multi-nutrient is specifically tailored to address nutrient deficiency and comprises selenium, vitamins C and D3, zinc and magnesium.
“Stronger immunity and better health should alleviate pressure on the health system. We’d like to further develop this supplement to make it as cost-effective as possible and to reach many more vulnerable South Africans, but we don’t have unlimited resources. We welcome partnerships with other companies and the government. This is not about profit; it’s about saving lives, livelihoods and the economy,” Coyne added.
Coyne Healthcare — which last year donated 2 000 units of high-quality BetterYou vitamin D spray valued at R300 000 to Bloemfontein’s Dr Paulo De Valdoleiros to distribute to the poor — is planning to distribute the 10 000 packs of its supplement to vulnerable residents in Bathurst, Easter Cape, in late July.
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