When Jeremy Zulu received a frantic call saying a granite tabletop had accidentally fallen onto the chest of his three-year-old daughter while she was playing at home, he feared the worst.
He panicked, dropped everything he was doing and drove to Kitwe Teaching Hospital (KTH), where she had been rushed.
On arrival, he was told that an emergency procedure had to be carried out in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) because her lungs were affected by impact of the tabletop.
It would take another three weeks of admission under strict observation at KTH before she finally pulled through.
Seeing his little one in such pain left Zulu in tears – something he still struggles to hold back as he recalls the accident that happened on 31 July this year.
“I can only imagine how much pain she was in, given her young age. My wife, our family and I were deeply affected,” he recalls.
Had the accident happened a few years earlier, Zulu’s fears might have been realised.
But thanks in part to the Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) Plc and the expert treatment his daughter received, she is now back home – bouncing from one room to another and bringing the much-needed joy and laughter to her parents.
As part of its corporate social responsibility, CEC last year handed over the refurbished Luntembwe Paediatric Ward and a newly constructed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at KTH to the government.
Alongside a donation of assorted medical equipment, the modernised ward and new ICU – built at a cost of K7 million – aim to improve the delivery of healthcare services for children.
“The refurbishment of this ward contributed significantly to our daughter’s healing – and likely to many others who have been treated here,” Zulu says.
“It provides an enabling environment for nurses, doctors and everyone else working here. It also creates a conducive atmosphere for patients to recover and for families visiting their loved ones.”
No one understands better what CEC’s investment means to the hospital than Dr Mboni Chileshe, the institution’s Senior Medical Superintendent.
“CEC is our all-weather friend. They have provided substantial support to our paediatric department, including the refurbishment of the ward for sick and premature babies and the provision of an ICU for children with about a 10-bed capacity,” he explains.
“Before that, we had only one ICU where children were mixed with adults, which was not ideal. CEC didn’t stop there – they also renovated one of our wards. If you visit, it is a model ward. We aim to model all our wards after it. You can see that the survival rates of our premature babies have significantly improved. We are now able to nurture these children from very low birth weights into thriving babies.”
Another person who has also witnessed the transformation is Kasuba Kunda, the Acting Nursing Sister of the paediatric ICU.
Indeed, in her 15 years at KTH, she has seen it all.
“Initially, we didn’t have sufficient equipment or an ICU like this one where we could nurse our critically ill patients. Previously, we would care for them in the acute bay, but that limited our scope of work and the resources we could use,” she says.
For CEC, the investment forms part of its commitment to the company’s CSR pillar on health and aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 3, which focuses on good health and well-being, according to the company’s Head Corporate Communications and Investor Relations, Verona Mwila.
“It was important not only to support the health sector externally but also because, as an organisation, we run a safety, health, and environmental programme that ensures the well-being of our employees,” she adds.
“We also recognise the need for a healthy community. Our employees access the same health services available locally, so being able to extend support to Kitwe Teaching Hospital and ensure that our children receive the best healthcare was of paramount importance to us.”
Not everyone may have the chance, like Jeremy Zulu, to share such a positive story from KTH with us.
But for those who have, the ward where his daughter was admitted has certainly proved to be a lifesaver.
Kalemba October 30, 2025
