Kansanshi Mine Plc has partnered with the Ministry of Health and the communities around Kansanshi mine in undertaking a programme dubbed ‘buntuntulu bwa nyaunda (BBN)’ meaning community wellness.
The programme is aimed at strengthening government health systems in the provision of essential health care services to communities around Kansanshi mine.
The targeted age groups will be children under five, women and expecting mothers.
FQM Health and Wellness manager Kylie Van der Merwe told the gathering during the launch of the programme at Kapijimpanga clinic that FQM has a long standing commitment to support the community of which BBN is one such a programme.
She said BBN will support existing government health services in about 44 selected health facilities and that the project will be people driven in order to improve their health status.
“This will include health promotion, disease prevention, disease surveillance and early detection and treatment of diseases,” she said.
And officiating at launch, acting Solwezi district commissioner Antony Fulwe revealed that provision of health care services at community level has suffered in the era of Covid19 pandemic.
Mr. Fulwe said the involvement of community members in health programmes assures sustainability as there is nothing that can be achieved in improving the measure of health in the communities without the community itself.
“With participation of community members themselves, the initiative will go a long way in improving health indicators in maternal and child health, malaria, HIV/AIDS, nutrition, water and sanitation and generally strengthening health systems in all chosen health facilities,” said Mr. Fulwe.
He expressed happiness that the program will not just end at health facilities but that it will be taken to all the outreach posts which he said will bring health services closer to the people.