Nurses and Midwives in the Volta Region have joined the campaign against illegal mining “galamsey” in the country.
Madam Catherine Obossu, Chief Nursing Officer for the Region, made the declaration at the celebration of this year’s “International Nurses Week” in Ho, on the theme, “Health implication of galamsey and attainment of Sustainable Development Goals: Nurses and Midwives acting in one voice with stakeholders.”
She said galamsey, which had become a national security threat had assumed an alarming proportion with dire health implications hence the resolve of nurses and midwives to join the crusade against illegal mining.
Madam Obossu commended government and the media for launching the campaign and said nurses and midwives were joining the fight because government could not do it alone.
She said health implications arising from galamsey were enormous and if not tackled, could thwart government’s effort at achieving health related Sustainable Development Goals on schedule.
“Galamsey has the potential to affect the very foundations of our survival due to its effect on our water bodies. We must therefore stand united in the fight to realise the health related SDGs and enhance the quality of life of the populace,” Madam Obossu stated.
She urged nurses and midwives to keep up the good work despite infrastructure, equipment and financial challenges and appealed to government to provide the right working environment to enhance healthcare delivery.
Madam Obossu urged government to engage retired trained midwives to augment the few in active service to reduce maternal mortality rate in the country.
Mrs Innocentia Gborgblorvor, Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association Chairperson, Volta Region, said, “we are all overwhelmed with what we have at hand ‘galamsey’” and charged members of the Association to take the campaign to their homes and the communities.
She congratulated nurses and midwives for their dedication to service and asked them to improve on their customer relation skills-show love and care to patients.
Dr. Joseph Nuertey, Regional Director of Health Services, in a message delivered on his behalf, commended the Association for joining the campaign against galamsey.
He said the Region appeared not to be doing well in all health indicators and charged them to help reverse the trend as the “engine of the health sector.”
Professor John Owusu Gyapong, Vice Chancellor, University of Health and Allied Sciences, in a speech read on his behalf, said galamsey had become a monster and welcomed the decision of nurses and midwives to join the campaign against the practice.
He called for a comprehensive policy to stop illegal mining in the country towards the attainment of health related SDGs.
Mr Maxwell Blagogee, Deputy Volta Regional Minister, said the Regional Coordinating Council was pleased that GRNA was joining the campaign against galamsey and reiterated government’s resolve to stop it.
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