Friday, March 29, 2024

KCM pledges commitment to supporting the health sector in Zambia

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Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Provisional Liquidator Celine Nair has pledged the mining firm’s commitment to supporting the health sector in Zambia.

KCM has been providing oxygen to Kitwe Teaching Hospital, Ndola Teaching Hospital, Roan General Hospital, Ronald Ross Hospital, Thomson District Hospital, Nchanga North Hospital, Kalulushi General Hospital, Arthur Davison Hospital, Kakoso TL Hospital, and the two KCM hospitals, Konkola Mine Hospital in Chililabombwe and Nchanga South Hospital in Chingola to help the fight against Covid-19.

When touring the Oxygen Plant at the Nchanga Smelter in Chingola, Ms Nair, who is the Acting Administrator General and Official Receiver of Zambia, said KCM will continuously supply oxygen to government hospitals to ease the treatment of Covid-19 patients.

She said saving lives should be placed above earning profits because life was sacrosanct.

“We should remain steadfast in our contribution to the health sector and especially to life-saving undertakings such as providing oxygen to hospitals free of cost. We will ensure that KCM does not only remain a major contributor to national copper production, but to initiatives that impact on the well-being of our citizens in the health sector,” Ms Nair said in a statement released by KCM Corporate Affairs General Manager Shapi Shacinda.

She added: “Priority must always be to safeguard the health of our employees and their families, communities around our areas of operation and the entire nation.”

Ms Nair said KCM’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes are managed with the intention of delivering maximum benefit to people in the local community as well as transforming lives throughout Zambia.

Meanwhile, the Manager at Nchanga Smelter Charles Shonongo informed the Provisional Liquidator that KCM has provided 11,165 oxygen cylinders to nine government run hospitals and the Company’s two hospitals costing about $219,044 (K3.72 million) since July 2021.

KCM last year commenced the provision of oxygen for free to government hospitals for medical interventions, particularly to enhance oxygen saturation and breathing in patients infected by Covid-19 from its 750 tonnes per day Oxygen Plant at the Nchanga Smelter.

“The support to the government health facilities came after two oxygen samples delivered to the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) for testing to ascertain its use for medical interventions during the peak of the devastating third wave of Covid-19 were returned with results of 95.7 percent and 97.8 percent, respectively. The hospitals that have been provided with oxygen are Kitwe Teaching Hospital, Ndola Teaching Hospital, Roan General Hospital, Ronald Ross Hospital, Thomson District Hospital, Nchanga North Hospital, Kalulushi General Hospital, Arthur Davison Hospital, Kakoso TL Hospital, and the two KCM hospitals, Konkola Mine Hospital in Chililabombwe and Nchanga South Hospital in Chingola.”

“Through its expansive Corporate Social Responsibility Programmes (CSR) programmes, KCM operates two major hospitals and 8 clinics, which provide free medical services to employees and their families, while members of the public pay reasonable user fees. Around 192,000 people received medical services and treatment at KCM medical institutions in the previous year. Issued by Celine Nair KCM Provisional Liquidator,” the statement concluded.

Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Provisional Liquidator Celine Nair at the Oxygen Plant in Chingola
Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Provisional Liquidator Celine Nair at the Oxygen Plant in Chingola

8 COMMENTS

  1. The standards at the KCM hospitals are way below par not comparable to what they were during the time of ZCCM. The hospitals at Nchanga are no different from govt hospitals…….Shame KCM

    • Lord Angus, the retarded ones are you who think this is normal life. You are so used to being cheated and will settle for lies
      Go around hospitals and see how pathetic the situation is. The one on covaine is your president

  2. She is making pledges now as a Liquidator …very strange indeed this lady is an Adminstrator, someone needs to clearly define her role.

  3. When you look at the two hospital that are owned and run by KCM you’d wonder what Nair is talking about. My advice is that she shuns such gymnastics because they’ll tarnish her name as a good lady. She definitely doesn’t know who she’s dealing with

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