PRESS RELEASE FOR THE OCCASION OF AGREEMENT SIGNING BETWEEN
KUMUL MINERALS HOLDINGS LIMITED AND PNG KIDNEY FOUNDATION

PRESS RELEASE FOR THE OCCASION OF AGREEMENT SIGNING BETWEEN KUMUL MINERALS HOLDINGS LIMITED AND PNG KIDNEY FOUNDATION

Thursday 22 December 2022

Kumul Minerals Holdings Limited (Kumul Minerals) and The PNG Kidney Foundation (Kidney Foundation) today signed a Charity Partnership Agreement to work together to support the PNG Kidney Foundation in providing subsidized kidney dialysis treatment to ordinary Papua New Guineans who suffer from chronic kidney disease. The Agreement was signed today by the Chairlady of Kumul Minerals Board, Ms Nellie James and the Chairman of the PNG Kidney Foundation, Sir Martin Poh.

Chairlady James states that Kumul Minerals as a state-owned company under its government-approved Community and Social Obligations charter is obliged to fund projects that have the potential to impact and improve the lives of our people. This Agreement will see Kumul Minerals provide a three- year financing package totaling K3 million to the PNG Kidney Foundation to be paid in tranches of K1 million annually.

Ms James says that Kumul Minerals recognizes that chronic kidney failure is a lifestyle disease which has and will continue to threaten the lives of every Papua New Guinean citizen. Statistics show already that chronic kidney failure among PNG citizens is increasing rapidly around the country and is rated as a major contributor to fatalities annually in the country. It is an economic cost to the country as working citizens are affected and at times, may not be able to continue working and contributing as fully functional individuals.

PNG Kidney Foundation is an established charitable organization that has been providing kidney dialysis treatment at affordable rates in Port Moresby since 2009. More recently, it has started a smaller operation in collaboration with the Mendi General Hospital in the Southern Highlands Province. The Kidney Foundation is working in collaboration with the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) which allows exchanges of resources and training of PMGH medical personnel (nephrologists and kidney dialysis technicians) by the Foundation. Under this co-operative arrangement and with financial support from Kumul Minerals, it is anticipated that the Kidney Foundation can expand its services throughout the country and increase training programs for national doctors, nephrologists and technicians in this field.

It is also pleasing to note that one of the Foundation’s key objectives is to collaborate with Port Moresby General Hospital to explore and prepare our institutions to be able to conduct Kidney Transplant Operations in the country. This will be a game-changer as ordinary Papua New Guineans could start

having access to such facilities without the need to travel overseas for treatment which we know is very expensive and not easily affordable by many Papua New Guineans.

The funding will also help to drive awareness campaigns around the country to prevent kidney diseases and lifestyle diseases in general such as diabetes. It will also aim to provide information for family members about the Steps to Take when someone in the family is diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. It is usually a lifestyle change for the whole family whenever a family member is diagnosed with chronic kidney failure and the support of the family as a whole is always critical. Individuals affected with chronic kidney failure can continue to perform and contribute meaningfully in some capacity to society as normal citizens of the country when services such as those provided by the Foundation is available nationwide. The generous funding from Kumul Minerals will be used for the purposes specified in the Agreement.

Chairlady James stated that this funding is consistent with and compliments the Government’s priority objectives in the health sector as announced recently by the Minister for Health Hon. Dr. Lino Tom in his statement on Update on Health Sector and Brief Plan for 2023. She quoted the Minister who said that the Government “have addressed the rise of lifestyle diseases. The 4 biggest killers are Cancer, Heart Diseases with stroke and kidney diseases.” The Minister made specific reference to the need for funding of kidney disease treatment.

Chairlady James assured the PNG Kidney Foundation Chairman Sir Martin Poh of Kumul Mineral’s support as the Foundation’s partner. She also officially thanked Sir Martin and the PNG Kidney Foundation Board for approving and accepting Kumul Minerals Holdings Limited as its brand partner for the next three years.

Authorised for Release by: Ms Nellie James
Chairlady, Kumul Minerals Holdings Ltd