Forensic Pathologist, Professor Paul Poku Sampene Ossei, has revealed alarming findings linking illegal mining activities (galamsey) to pregnancy losses in Ghana, warning that the nation faces a silent public health crisis.
Speaking on Joy News’ Newsfile, Prof. Ossei disclosed that ongoing research has uncovered over 500 cases of spontaneous abortions caused by heavy metal contamination in the placentas of pregnant women living in galamsey-affected communities.
“I’m also doing another work about what we call spontaneous abortion. About 500 cases where women have gone to the hospital and aborted their babies because of concentration of these heavy metals in their placenta,” Prof. Ossei stated.
He explained that he has examined about 4,500 placentas so far, stressing that the menace of galamsey goes beyond environmental destruction to include severe health risks, particularly for pregnant women and unborn children.
According to him, hospitals in mining-prone areas are witnessing disturbing trends. Women who report to health facilities with blood spots during pregnancy often lose their babies before leaving the hospital.
Prof. Ossei also raised concerns over the chemicals used in water treatment, such as concentrated alum applied to heavily polluted water, warning that it may pose long-term health dangers.
“That is the full name, Aluminum Hydroxide. And this Aluminum Hydroxide, when taken for a long period, in fact, that higher concentration has a lot of what we call health effects. One of them is kidney issues. When you use alum that is used to purify the water, especially when they are using that concentration which I believe is so high, it’s going to cause kidney problems, respiratory tract irritation, and even Alzheimer’s disease,” he explained.
He urged politicians and policymakers to treat the galamsey crisis as a national emergency, insisting that the response must be consistent, objective, and devoid of partisan considerations.
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Source: Benjamin Ekow Hutchful/ATLFMNEWS
