By Patrick Biddah
The Minister for Health, Mr Kweku Agyeman Manu, has called for the need for all concerted effort on the part of all health workers, particularly nurses, to fight the issue of Climate Change.
He said the devastating effects of Climate Change which has been compounded by illegal small scale mining popularly called ‘galamsey ‘ in Ghana is a worrying development for the people in the health delivery sector.
According to him, health and care givers, are bearing the brunt of these negative effects of climate change in view of the huge health implications they have to deal with at the health facilities.
The role of health workers is already overstretched, but the effect of activities of ‘ galamsey’ is already putting more pressure as many people are reporting with kidney related diseases, he noted.
Speaking at the 22md plenary session of West African Health Sector Unions Network ( WEHSUN) in Accra on October 13, 2022, the Minister, said the fight against climate change cannot be left to a few.
He said, what is happening with the issue of ‘galamsey ‘ is alarming and government is perturbed.
“The pollution of water bodies is going a long to affecting innocent unborn children because their pregnant mothers are drinking from contaminated water sources “, he pointed out.
This year’s session is being attended by delegates from Liberia , Nigeria, Togo and Burkina Faso.
The Minister was therefore hopeful that the forum will afford Ghana the opportunity to team up with other countries to fight Climate Change .
The president of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association ( GNRA) , Mrs Perpetual Ofori Ampofo, stressed the need to bring all stakeholders in the health delivery chain to add their voice.
According to her, there is an urgent need to rally all to fight the ‘galamsey’ menace.
“We need the water to flow in our taps and that cannot happen when the water bodies are being polluted “, she said.
The President of the Ghana Medical Association, Dr Frank Serebour, added his voice to the call when he said the threat this illegal mining poses has the tendency to wipe out an entire generation.
The topic, which focuses on Climate Change, he emphasized is apt and suits Ghana’s current situation.
There were placards which were displayed by delegates to drum home the loud protest against galamsey’.
