Paediatric Society of Ghana Urges Government to Address Child Health Risks from Illegal Mining

The Paediatric Society of Ghana has issued a call to the government to declare illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, a child health emergency. In an open letter to the President, the Society highlighted the severe risks posed by toxic substances released through these activities, including mercury, lead, arsenic, and cyanide, which contaminate water sources, soil, and the food chain.

Pregnant women and young children are particularly vulnerable, as these toxins can cross the placenta and enter breast milk, affecting children during critical developmental stages. Exposure to such substances has been linked to permanent brain damage, reduced IQ, learning disabilities, speech delays, behavioral disorders, anemia, stunted growth, weakened immune systems, and increased risk of chronic diseases later in life.

The Society emphasized that the impact extends beyond individual health, affecting academic performance and future productivity. They urged the government to implement measures such as protecting and monitoring water sources, screening for heavy metals in high-risk districts, enforcing zero tolerance against illegal mining, establishing long-term child development monitoring programs, and including child health impact assessments in all mining and environmental policies.

The Society concluded that protecting children from the effects of galamsey is a moral, medical, and economic imperative essential to Ghana's long-term development and competitiveness.