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Copper mines launch anti-Malaria drive

    NAIROBI

    Two of Zambia’s largest copper mining companies have launched a massive anti-malaria programme in the mineral rich Copperbelt region, news reports said on Tuesday. The companies, Konkola Copper Mines Plc and Mopani Copper Mines Plc are targeting residential areas, inhabited by more than two million people, by spraying houses and known breeding grounds like sewer and natural ponds. The exercise by Konkola Copper Mines will cost an estimated US $220,000 under its health and environment policy and it will cover 25,688 houses in the two mining towns of Chingola and Chililabombwe.

    Speaking at the launch recently, Konkola Copper Mines chief executive officer Tim Wadeson said that apart from spraying houses, the company would also use the programme to destroy all known mosquito breeding grounds. In addition, the programme will also focus on effective treatment of proven malaria cases in hospitals and clinics through the use of drugs.

    Mopani Copper Mines is spending over US $500,000 this year to eliminate breeding grounds. Company special project manager Penny Dickson said: “We believe that we lose two man-months a year as a result of malaria. The cost of a shift loss is approximately US $20 and the cost of hospitalisation an additional US $30 a day.” In the Copperbelt region, for example, the malaria incidence rate is 360 people out of every 1,000 healthy adults.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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