Sepon mine making major contributions to child and maternal health

MMG Lane Xang Minerals Limited Sepon (MMG LXML Sepon) has donated over US$25,000 to help improve child and maternal healthcare in Lao PDR.

Support was provided to the Children’s Hospital in Vientiane and Sikhottabong District Hospital in August 2013, to purchase vital medical equipment including infant incubators, beds, weighing scales and a Ventilator. 

The equipment will assist the Lao Government to realise the Millennium Development Goals related to infant and maternal health. Hospital employees have the capacity to use the equipment, which can be serviced and maintained in Vientiane.

“We are extremely grateful to MMG LXML Sepon for the generous support. This equipment will save lives and make a great difference to children and mothers who need help at our hospital,” said Dr Phonedavanh Ponesavanh, Deputy Director of the Children’s Hospital in Vientiane.

“Sepon mine is very proud to continue to assist to give children in Laos the best start in life, and protect the health of mothers” said Rick Watsford, General Manager MMG LXML Sepon. 

MMG LXML Sepon also supports child and maternal health through the ‘1000 Day Project’, a three-way partnership between UNICEF, the Ministry of Health and MMG. MMG has contributed US$1.4 million to deliver micronutrients to children in Phongsaly, Savannakhet and Saravan provinces.

The goal of this initiative is to reduce the high rate of child deaths associated with under-nutrition. Micronutrient deficiencies have a life-long impact in early childhood development. More than 5,000 children under five years old, and 50 mothers, die each year in Laos due to nutrition-related problems, according to UNICEF. This initiative will make a major contribution to reducing this problem.

In Vilabouly District, where the Sepon mine is located, the company constructed and equipped the Vilabouly District Hospital. Another project to improve district health services, implemented in collaboration with the Macfarlane Burnet Institute and Vilabouly District’s Department of Health, is being designed, and a further donation of medical equipment to Savannakhet hospital will be made this year.

(Ends)

MMG LXML Sepon representatives (first two from left) handed over medical equipment to improve child and maternal healthcare in Sikhottabong District Hospital in Vientiane Capital.