Johnny Broomberg: Solidarity and teamwork will see us through

When COVID-19 struck, Dr Jonathan Broomberg heeded the call.

Discovery’s chief executive of Vitality Health International, Broomberg assumed the role of head of healthcare for South Africa’s Solidarity Fund, a feat which saw him take the Absa Business Leadership in the Time of COVID award last Sunday at the virtual Absa Jewish Achiever Awards.

Colleagues and friends paid tribute to Broomberg’s efforts in video messages streamed during the awards ceremony.

“He’s one of the smartest and most effective people I’ve ever met,” said Discovery Chief Executive Adrian Gore. “His role in the fund and in our country’s fight against COVID-19 is something we should be incredibly proud of.”

The president announced the establishment of the Solidarity Fund in March, and Broomberg landed at the centre of it all. The fund has raised more than R6 billion in its six months of existence, and has helped to acquire much of the critical care and personal-protection equipment (PPE) used in the country as well.

Business and government came to an agreement that South Africa needed a single, independent body that would unite everybody in the face of COVID-19. Broomberg was one of the first people to be called on to weigh in on the crisis, applying his business mind to devising workable solutions in response to the pandemic.

“Johnny is an incredible South African citizen,” said Nicola Galombik, the head of disbursement strategy at the Solidarity Fund. “Nothing has demonstrated that as much as his response to this pandemic.”

Said Gore, “This award is significant, substantial, and very well deserved. I’m proud to be associated with him.”

Broomberg said he was humbled and grateful to receive the award, admitting that he didn’t expect it.

“It really came as a surprise,” he said. “One of the hallmarks of the work I’ve done in dealing with COVID-19 through the fund, something true of everyone who has worked in some way to deal with this pandemic, is that it has really been a question of teamwork.”

Broomberg stressed that it’s not a question of recognising individuals, but about how well our community has come together, how government has worked with business and the broad private sector.

“That’s certainly been true of the work I’ve done,” he said. “As many of you know, the fund was set up very quickly after it became clear how significant the pandemic was going to be.

“It raised more than R3 billion quickly, and then deployed R2.5 billion of that largely in the health response to the pandemic, providing PPE when there was none in the country, acquiring thousands of ventilators, and supporting testing across the public-health system.”

A huge amount of good work was done, said Broomberg, by more than 200 individual volunteers at the Solidarity Fund and tens of thousands of individuals and companies who provided donations.

“It’s no surprise that South Africa’s coming together this way has meant that our country has coped better with this pandemic than almost any other country in the world in spite of our enormous challenges,” Broomberg said.

“In accepting the award, I don’t accept it for myself but on behalf of all my colleagues at the Solidarity Fund and at Discovery, which has worked tirelessly as a corporation. Truly, everyone in this country deserves a pat on the back for their enormous patience and effort in dealing with this pandemic.

“We aren’t at the end yet, and there’s plenty more patience and effort required. I’m deeply grateful and thank you very much for recognising me in this way.”