By ALICE NACHILEMBE
Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) to start providing oxygen for medical use to its hospitals and other health institutions on the Copperbelt in it continued step to support the fight against Covid-19.
KCM Chief Executive Officer Christopher Sheppard said that the KCM subsidiary, KCM SmelterCo , the oxygen produced from the 750 tonnes per day has received initial certification to be used for medical interventions.
He said this is to enhance oxygen saturation and breathing in patients infected by the Covid-19.
Mr Sheppard said oxygen samples delivered for certification from the Oxygen Plant at the Nchanga smelter in Chingola were given a thumbs-up by the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS).
He said the certification lead to the breakthrough for the Company to step up its contribution to the Covid-19 fight.
“With the outcome, KCM SmelterCo Limited will be able to provide oxygen to the KCM Nchanga South Hospital in Chingola and the Konkola Mine Hospital in Chililabomwe and other health facilities on the Copperbelt once further approvals by the Ministry of Health and the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA) are provided.
KCM is cheerful that our oxygen was certified as fit for use in medical institutions by ZABS. This will help to ease the burden of oxygen requirements in Zambia and enable KCM and its subsidiary to make a significant contribution to the Covid-19 interventions,” he said.
Mr Sheppard said KCM has engaged the Ministry of Health to determine how the oxygen would be delivered to health institutions on the Copperbelt and other parts of the country once the Copperbelt region has surplus stocks, and also to agree modalities of how third-party oxygen cylinders would be made available for filling at the Oxygen Plant.
This is contained in a statement issued by General Manager Corporate Affairs Shapi Shachinda
