Jasper Musadaidzwa
AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Limited, a mining company in the Western Region, has indicated its commitment to eradicating malaria in its host communities and beyond.
To this end, the AngloGold Ashanti Malaria Control Programme (AGAMal) has teamed up with the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Health Directorate and the municipal assembly to roll out indoor residual spraying (IRS) in the company’s host communities.
The mining company is also distributing insecticide treated mosquito nets to members of the communities as part of the integrated malaria control programme.
AngloGold Ashanti’s contribution towards the eradication of malaria would also include educating the people to raise community awareness of how to recognise and prevent possible infection and early effective diagnosis and treatment once malaria has been contracted.
Speaking at the official launch of the malaria control programme at Adieyie in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, Jasper Musadaidzwa, Managing Director of AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Limited, revealed that the programme is expected to cover 16 host communities.
“It will directly benefit an estimated 5,850 people in 1,350 households within the Tarkwa and in our host communities,” he added.
Mr Musadaidzwa revealed that on the mine, new cases of malaria amongst employees and contractors increased from 172 cases in 2015 to 263 cases in 2016 adding, “Very alarming, new cases of malaria for the first half of 2017 stands at 218 cases.”
“Out-patients department reports from the Sam Jonah Hospital of the mine indicate that malaria has contributed to significant increase to loss time in 2015, 2016 and the first half of 2017,” he explained.
The managing director pointed out that the mining company is committed to reversing the trend by ensuring that the employees of the company and host communities are healthy so as to enhance productivity in their various occupations.
Launching the programme, the Deputy Western Regional Minister, Gifty Eugenia Kusi, said, “We are delighted to partner with AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Limited for its world-class malaria control programme. We believe that absenteeism through illness at work, on farms and at educational establishments will decrease hugely.”
She indicated that malaria is preventable and curable, and that increased efforts were dramatically reducing the malaria burden in many places.
“The African continent has high prevalence of malaria cases and all hands must be on deck to curb it. This is why I deem the anti-malaria programme being launched by the mining company is laudable,” she stressed.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Sulemanu Koney, indicated that the Malaria Control Programme is a critical health intervention that underscores the importance attached to the health of employees and host communities.
The Gyasehene of the Apinto Divisional Council in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, Nana Adarkwa Bediako, was made the local ambassador of the programme to encourage the people to embrace the initiative.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Adieyie