Paediatric Society of Ghana warns galamsey threatens children’s brain development

The Paediatric Society of Ghana has issued an urgent warning that illegal mining (galamsey) poses a severe threat to children’s health and brain development, with potentially irreversible consequences for Ghana’s future.

The Society called on government leaders to treat the issue as a national emergency requiring immediate action.

In an open letter to the President signed jointly by Dr. Hilda Mantebea Boye, President, and Dr. Gabrielle Obeng-Koranteng, General Secretary, the Society noted that children have drowned in open pits left behind by galamsey operations.

It said illegal mining activities release toxic substances, including mercury, lead, arsenic, and cyanide, into water sources, soil, and the food chain.

According to the letter, pregnant women and young children are exposed through contaminated drinking water, fish, crops, and household dust. These toxins can easily cross the placenta and enter breast milk, affecting children during their most critical developmental stages.

Scientific evidence shows that such toxic exposure can cause permanent brain damage, with no safe exposure level. It is also associated with reduced IQ, impaired learning capacity, speech delays, and behavioural disorders.

The exposure further contributes to anaemia, stunted growth, weakened immune systems, kidney and liver damage, and a higher risk of chronic diseases later in life.

The Society stressed that the damage extends beyond individual health outcomes. Children exposed to mining toxins often experience poor academic performance and higher dropout rates, which ultimately reduces adult productivity and earnings.

It warned that even unborn babies are not spared from the effects of heavy metal poisoning.

The World Health Organization estimates that lead exposure alone costs low- and middle-income countries hundreds of billions of dollars annually in lost economic productivity.

The letter added that Ghana also faces rising healthcare costs linked to conditions associated with toxic exposure, including dialysis, cancer treatment, and long-term disability support, placing additional strain on the national health system and public finances.

The Society therefore urged the government to declare galamsey a child health emergency and to strengthen protection and monitoring of water sources used by pregnant women, children, and schools.

It also called for nationwide screening for heavy metals in high-risk districts and the strict enforcement of a zero-tolerance policy against illegal mining.

In addition, it recommended the establishment of long-term child development monitoring programmes and the inclusion of child health impact assessments in all mining and environmental policies.

The Society emphasised that strong human capital, rather than natural resources alone, ultimately determines a nation’s success.

“Galamsey creates a destructive cycle. It damages the environment, undermines health and productivity, and weakens Ghana’s capacity to manage resources responsibly,” the letter stated.

Protecting children from the effects of galamsey, it concluded, is a moral, medical, and economic imperative essential to Ghana’s long-term development and competitiveness.

Source: GNA