Health professionals bemoan galamsey impact on medical infusion production

Health professionals are sounding the alarm over the growing difficulty faced by local pharmaceutical companies in accessing clean water for the production of medical infusions, as illegal mining activities continue to contaminate major water bodies across the country.

The Hospital Pharmacists Association says the high turbidity levels recorded in rivers and streams are severely affecting the operations of pharmaceutical firms and health facilities that rely on these sources for production.

National Chairman of the Association, Dr Emmanuel Owusu Wiafe, has urged the government to take decisive and sustained action to clamp down on illegal mining, warning that the pollution poses a grave threat to both public health and local drug manufacturing.

Speaking on the sidelines of the annual conference of the Pharmacy Technicians Association of Ghana, Dr Wiafe described the situation as dire and called for a more drastic national response to end the galamsey menace.

“The decision should be something decisive, and I think we want a more drastic approach so that we do not have issues with pharmaceuticals, particularly the production of pharmaceuticals, which is dire,” he said.

Dr Wiafe explained that water makes up more than 95 per cent of the composition of infusions such as Ringer’s lactate and normal saline, stressing that continuous pollution makes it increasingly difficult for companies to maintain the quality and safety of their products.

“Pharmaceutical companies are having issues getting quality water for the production of infusions,” he lamented.

Beyond the production challenges, Dr Wiafe warned of the long-term health implications of consuming contaminated water, noting a rise in kidney and liver diseases in mining-affected communities.

“The issue is that if you are talking about some of these heavy metals found in water, either lead, cadmium, or mercury, some have the tendency to chelate with existing medications that patients may be taking. And so, obviously, there is that direct impact,” he explained.

He noted that while these health conditions are currently more common in areas where galamsey is widespread, the risk could soon extend nationwide if the pollution continues unchecked.

“Across some sections of the population, we are not directly experiencing these conditions yet, but the trend is worrying,” he cautioned.

Dr Wiafe reiterated the Association’s call for immediate government intervention to protect Ghana’s water bodies, safeguard public health, and ensure the sustainability of local pharmaceutical production.

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