AngloGold rolls out malaria control plan
AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) has launched a malaria control programme in 16 host communities of its Iduapriem Mine in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality of the Western Region.
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The programme is in collaboration with the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Health Directorate and the municipal assembly and estimated to cover about 5, 850 people in 1,350 households.
The strategy includes the distribution of insecticide treated mosquito nets to members of the communities. Already, the company has invested GH¢238,410 in the programme as part of what it calls, “Community Investment Initiative (CII)”.
To ensure local participation in the programme, the company has appointed the Gyasehene of the Apinto Divisional Council in the municipality, Nana (Dr) Adarkwa Bediako III, who is also the chief of Kotokyere, as the local ambassador of the programme to galvanise the people to embrace the activities.
Launch
Speaking at the launch of the programme at Adieyie last Thursday, the Managing Director of the AGA, Mr Jasper Musadaidzwa, said malaria cases within the mine rose from 172 in 2015 to 263 in 2016.
"Very alarmingly new cases of malaria for the first half of 2017 stands at 218; it can be projected, therefore, that if measures are not taken to avert the situation, there will be a doubling of incidence this year, compared with that of 2016 on the mine," he stated.
All hands on deck
The Deputy Western Regional Minister, Mrs Eugenia Gifty Kusi, who launched the initiative, said Africa in general had a high prevalence of malaria as such all hands must be on deck to curb it.
Mrs Kusi said the good news was that malaria was preventable and curable, and that increased efforts were reducing the malaria burden dramatically in many places, stating that between 2010 and 2015, malaria incidence among populations at risk (rate of new cases), fell by 21 per cent globally.
Chamber of Mines
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Mr Sulemanu Koney, endorsed the programme and disclosed that in 2016 alone, member companies of the chamber invested over $12.2 million in various social projects.
"This AGA Iduapriem Mine malaria control programme is one such critical health intervention that underscores the importance attached to the health of employees and host communities in the industry," he said
