The Provisional Liquidator (PL) of Konkola Copper Mines Plc (KCM), Celine Nair, has pledged continuous oxygen supply by the Company to government hospitals for treatment of Covid-19 patients to sustain the fight of the pandemic and save lives.
Ms Nair, who is the Acting Administrator General and Official Receiver of Zambia, said during her tour of the Oxygen Plant within the Nchanga Smelter that saving lives should be placed above earning profits because life was irreplaceable.
“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,” she said.
Ms Nair also said that priority must always be to safeguard the health of employees and their families, communities around areas of operation and the entire nation.
She said that KCM’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs are managed with the intention of delivering maximum benefit to people in the local community as well as transforming lives throughout Zambia
And, 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 commenced to provide 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 last year.
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) programs, 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.
This is according to a statement issued by KCM Provisional Liquidator Celine Nair.
