The Kwale based Australian mining firm Base Titanium has invested over Sh. 100 million in different novel coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic response programmes.
The Base Titanium Community Relations Manager, Pius Kassim said since the outbreak of Covid-19 in March, the mining firm has scaled up support to the Ministry of Health to provide critical health supplies.
Kassim who is leading the mining firm’s covid-19 response announced the medical supplies included ventilators, test kits and Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to help the government efforts in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Base Titanium operates Kenya’s largest mine producing ilmenite, rutile and zircon delivering significant revenues in tax and royalty payments over the life of the mine at the Msambweni sub county.
Kasim said on Sunday that the mining firm’s support also included programmes such as installation of sanitation points across Kwale county and Likoni sub-county of Mombasa and emergency food distribution programme to vulnerable members of community affected by the pandemic.
He said proper hand-washing hygiene with soap and water has been touted as the fundamental component in the fight against covid-19 and that is why they have set up several hand washing units across Kwale and parts of Mombasa.
“We are also involved in the distribution of PPEs and thermometer guns and the training of frontline officers including Health Care Workers and Community Health Volunteers in the two coastal counties of Mombasa and Kwale,” he said.
Kassim said in June Base Titanium donated 100 High Flow Nasal Cannula Oxygen Therapy Devices and 1,330 test kits to the Ministry of Health to support its efforts in responding to the covid-19 pandemic.
He said some families may struggle to buy sanitary towels because the little money they have is prioritised for food.
“That is why in our food donation pack we are including sanitary towels,” he said.
Kassim said Base Titanium is proud to have its covid-19 mitigation initiatives recognised with an Uzalendo Award by President Uhuru Kenyatta during the Madaraka Day celebrations this year.
By Hussein Abdullahi
