A shipment of vital medical equipment and supplies was handed over last week to the Durba Referral Hospital and the Gambella Clinic in Watsa in the Haut-Uele district of the DRC close to the Kibali gold project by project developer Randgold Resources. This shipment follows an earlier consignment of medical equipment and supplies, which was handed over last month to the Watsa Referral Hospital by the Deputy Governor of the Province Orientale region of the DRC, Dieudonne Arama.
The total value of both shipments is $1.7 million, according to Randgold Resources which has spearheaded the campaign. The Governor of the Province Orientale region, Medard Autsai Senga, and Randgold Resources Chief Executive Mark Bristow handed over last week’s shipment.
North American financial services provider BMO Capital Markets co-sponsored the medical provisions which were sourced, packed and freighted to the area from Nashville, Tennessee, by the US medical charity C.U.R.E.
The supply of medical provisions to clinics is part of Randgold Resources’ community development strategy which focuses on projects providing basic health, potable water, basic education and food security to the communities close to its operations in Central and West Africa. It has identified the upgrading of local clinics and hospitals as a key priority and is collaborating with medical charities and local healthcare authorities to deliver crucial medical equipment and supplies to village clinics in these areas. In addition to the donations near the Kibali project, Randgold has funded medical supplies to the value of $950 000 to clinics in and around its Loulo and Morila mines in western Mali and is planning another donation of medical provisions of around $800 000 for villages in the M’Bengue district of the Côte d’Ivoire, close to its Tongon mine development.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Bristow said that the development of strong local relationships was one of the cornerstones on which the company had been built. “In Africa, it is not enough for a company to be profitable – it also has to be a responsible corporate citizen and a good neighbour, with a demonstrable long-term commitment to its host country,” he said.
“Development of the Kibali project has already had a positive impact on the communities living in the area. In line with our partnership philosophy, we have created new employment opportunities through the establishment of community-based businesses that will supply construction materials to the project and the new road link we have built with Uganda has slashed living costs in the whole of the north-eastern DRC, by substantially reducing the cost of transporting food and other essentials there,” Bristow said.
The Kibali gold project in the north east DRC is a joint venture between Randgold Resources, AngloGold Ashanti and OKIMO and potentially one of the world’s largest gold mines.