The Breast Society of Ghana has issued a strong appeal to individuals engaged in illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, to halt the practice due to its dangerous effects on public health.

The society expressed deep concern over the hazardous chemicals used in these mining activities, which are causing significant harm to both the environment and human lives.

Health experts have linked galamsey operations to a rise in deformities among newborns and an increase in cancer cases, attributing these issues to the exposure to toxic substances.

The unregulated nature of illegal mining has made it even more detrimental to public health.

Speaking after the launch of Pinktober 2024, a breast cancer awareness campaign, Dr. Hannah Ayettey Anie, president of the Breast Society of Ghana, emphasized the urgent need for an end to galamsey.

She called for immediate action to prevent further health complications caused by the harmful chemicals used in illegal mining.

Dr. Ayettey Anie stressed that safeguarding public health should be a priority, urging stakeholders to work together to combat illegal mining and its destructive consequences on communities across Ghana.

“These chemicals [used in illegal mining] are injurious to the body. And as for what we will end up finding out, even for cases where we have had radiation disasters and all, we have realised that eventually it led to malformed children and all. So we don’t know what this will lead to in the long run."

“[Galamsey] is definitely harmful. So we also want to use this platform to tell people, all those who are involved in this galamsey and illegal mining to stop so that we don’t end up hurting ourselves because you may think you are isolated doing your own thing somewhere but it will affect you, it will affect your neighbour, it will affect the society as a whole.”