Kachungu Jonathan Kasanji, a 26-year-old nurse in charge at Kanyikezhi Rural Health Center in Mwinyilunga District, Zambia, has been faced with the daunting task of making quick, life-saving decisions when faced with health emergencies. Until recently, the only options available to evacuate patients in critical condition were either erratic public transport, a bicycle or a motorcycle. However, on May 1, 2021, Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) came to the aid of the community by donating an ambulance to serve the village’s estimated 2,600 catchment population.
According to the Ministry of Health, Kanyikezhi Village, which has a relatively young population, with the majority of women being of childbearing age, has been a maternal and child mortality hotspot. This situation is partly due to the unavailability of easy-to-access healthcare services. Kasanji highlights that the ambulance will be a game-changer and will assist in transporting patients with critical emergencies, alleviating the suffering of many people.
The village’s traditional leader, who has lived in Kanyikezhi since 1987, praises CEC’s partnership with the community. He notes that the company has played a pivotal role in improving the area’s infrastructure, including building a health post and a bridge that has made it easier for residents to access healthcare services. He expresses his gratitude to CEC and encourages other companies to follow their example.
Mary Bulaya, a mother of eight and grandmother of three, who has volunteered as a community health worker since 2000, describes the positive developments in her community and how the presence of a health post has brought a mindset shift for a community that mostly attributed illness to witchcraft. The health post has not only brought healthcare services within the reach of the community, but it has also led to social and economic changes in the area.
Truly, the partnership between CEC and the community of Kanyikezhi has been one of incremental gains resulting from a partnership built on a firm foundation of trust and mutual respect between the two parties. With the donation of the ambulance, residents can rest assured that they will have access to timely and efficient medical care, which could make a life-saving difference in emergencies.
