CHINGOLA, 25 April 2018: On the occasion to celebrate the World Malaria Day, which falls on 25 April each year, Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Chief Executive Officer Steven Din has said that Zambia can become a malaria-free country through the concerted efforts by the Government and the private sector to eradicate the killer disease.

Mr Din said Konkola Copper Mines, in conjunction with the Ministry of Health, has sprayed 54,257 households in Chingola, Chililabombwe and Nampundwe, the highest number of households covered since the launch of the KCM annual malaria residual spraying exercise in 2000.

The residual spraying programme is an effort to eradicate incidences of malaria in KCM’s areas of operation as a way of promoting good health in the country. The company undertakes the exercise each year, but has in recent years conducted joint residual spraying programmes with the Government covering a wider catchment area beyond KCM areas of operation. Health is one of KCM’s four pillars of community social investments. Others include education, sustainable livelihoods and sport.

KCM has also made a financial contribution towards the 2018 national Malaria Day Commemoration organising committee, which seeks to highlight the dangers of malaria, which according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) kills more people in sub-Saharan Africa than any other disease.

“At KCM we believe that the health and safety of individuals, be they our employees or members of different communities, should be a top priority. Our efforts to rid communities of incidences of malaria are driven by our passion to save life,” Mr Din commented.

Mr Din added that, “We are glad that our efforts have paid off well in the areas where our medical team works with other health experts on various interventions of fighting the malaria menace. It is also clear that concerted efforts and pooling resources together can enable Zambia to be a malaria-free country.”

Since KCM began to intervene in its areas of operation, malaria deaths have declined by more than 70 percent. The Government adopted KCM’s malaria fight, which includes residual spraying of households, as a national model to try and stop the breeding of malaria causing mosquitoes in residential areas in mid 2000.