FQM Maintains Support For North-West’s Health Sector
Zambia’s Mining giant First Quantum Minerals (FQM) has continued to fortify its support of North-Western Province’s health sector, with financial assistance in 2020 alone exceeding a million kwacha.
The contribution underlines FQM’s commitment to the health and wellbeing of the communities it operates in and the provision of resources to help government combat challenges such as those posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, said FQM health programs and projects adviser Gertrude Musunka.
“We hope that the support will help ease the burden on our host communities as we work together towards a common goal of promoting a healthy and productive population. As a responsible operator, our top priority is to protect the safety and health of our people and the communities that host our businesses,” Ms Musunka added.
Earlier last month, FQM’s Kansanshi mine handed over an assortment of personal protective equipment, medical equipment, surgical masks and gloves, refrigerators, beds, blankets and linen altogether worth US$120,000, bringing the total value of the handover to US$205,300.
The financial support has also been extended to infrastructure development that has seen the upgrade of Solwezi General Hospital into a modern health facility with a high-cost ward that has a bed capacity of 24; the renovation of Solwezi Nurses’ home recently handed over to the government as a COVID-19 isolation facility with an installed high-dependency unit and intensive care unit for $85,298, and also the repair of water reticulation at the hospital.
The mine has also constructed a four-bed high dependency unit and two-bed intensive care units at Kansanshi Mine Hospital for $150,000.
“As our host communities continue to deal with challenges raised by this pandemic, and true to our philosophy of progressing together, it remains our priority to assist with initiatives that truly make a difference to their lives. We are very proud of the efforts we have carried out so far and over the next few months we will continue to roll out more initiatives together with our partners to help our communities through these trying times,” said Ms Musunka.
She reiterated the mine’s continued support of all health programs in the province, adding that more medical equipment is being procured to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of health delivery services.
