Dissemination of findings from a health survey conducted in the Newmont Mining Area.

A baseline survey was conducted in the Asutifi, Tano North and South Districts and the Techiman Municipality in 2007. This was done in order to obtain information which will help the Ghana Health Service as well as its collaborators in their plans to prevent adverse health events that may occur as a result of the growing socio- economic activities associated with a mining community. The Kintampo Health Research Centre (KHRC) and the Brong Ahafo Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service in collaboration with Newmont Ghana Gold Limited carried out this survey.

The survey was made possible through the support of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited, a mining company which carries out its mining activities in the Asutifi and Tano North districts. The need had also arisen to conduct a similar survey in the Techiman Municipality as a control area to help understand the information generated at the time and in future, as the Asutifi and the Tano areas develop.

The results of the survey were presented at a formal ceremony in Sunyani by the Principal Investigator of the project at KHRC, Dr. Kwaku Poku Asante. He mentioned that the proportion of the various age groups in those areas were similar to other districts with a slightly higher proportion of adult males in the Asutifi District.   

Only half of the households in and around the district capitals obtained water from public pipes which was better than closed wells. Majority of households distant from the district capitals used closed wells. The commonest type of toilet facilities was the KVIP. Although this was a good finding, there was still room for improvement in areas outside the Asutifi district capital where a significant proportion of the individuals used the pit latrines.

Malaria was found to be the commonest illness and about 70% of children examined had anaemia (low blood levels). This could be due to malaria, poor nutrition and worm infestation. As part of the efforts to curb malaria, Dr. Asante advised community members, especially children and pregnant women to use insecticide treated bed nets and practice other preventive measures such as indoor spraying and the use of skin creams that will repel mosquitoes. Additionally, he said care-givers should be encouraged to adhere to good feeding practices as advised by nurses during child welfare clinics and to send their children to the hospital as soon as they fall ill.

It was also found out that greater than 85% of respondents knew about key HIV preventive methods. However, there was a strong HIV/AIDS stigmatisation. For instance, though a majority of the respondents wished to test to know their HIV status, about half of them did say they would not like their HIV positive status to be disclosed to their relatives or close relations should that be the case.

In his comments, the Director of KHRC, Dr. Seth Owusu-Agyei thanked Newmont Ghana Gold Limited and the Ghana Health Service for the opportunity to conduct this useful survey which will help plan public health interventions. The Director of the Brong Ahafo Regional Health Services, Dr. Aaron Offei who chaired the occasion called for a concerted effort among the various stakeholders in health to help implement the recommendations from the survey.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the District Health Directorates and the District Assemblies from Asutifi, Tano North and South, the Techiman Municipality, the Brong Ahafo Regional Health Directorate and staff from Newmont Ghana Gold Limited.

For more info contact:

Kabio Casimir Donlebo (Communications Officer).
Kintampo Health Research Centre
P.O.Box 200
Kintampo.B/A.
Tel: +233 246 391916