Zambia’s foremost business group has conferred on KCM an award for being the leading company in the fight against malaria. The Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI) awarded the company with the “Business Leader in the Fight Against Malaria” accolade.

The recognition is an endorsement of KCM’s wide Roll Back Malaria programme, which aims to eradicate malaria in the company’s areas of operation in support of national and global efforts to reduce deaths related to malaria incidences.

Since 2000, KCM has carried out the annual residual spraying which has targeted an average of 40,000 households each year in Chingola, Chililabombwe and Nampundwe.

At a recent annual dinner event in Lusaka, Lusaka Minister Japhen Mwakalombe, emphasized that the growth of the private sector was important in fostering economic development through the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP).

Malaria is listed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as sub-Sahara Africa’s largest health problem, which kills more people than HIV/AIDS. It keeps more children out of school than any other disease and deprives families of vital annual income, apart from placing a heavy toll on livelihoods and the economy.

“Konkola Copper Mines is proud that its health interventions have significantly contributed to Zambia’s record in making strides towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 which aims promote health lives for all ages,” KCM Head Corporate Affairs Mubiana Akakandelwa commented following the recognition by ZACCI.

Since 2000, KCM’s malaria interventions have led to a 70% reduction in malaria related deaths from malaria in the three locations of the company’s operations. This success has now been emulated by the government of Zambia, which adopted the KCM Roll Back Malaria programme as a model for the national malaria control programme.