AngloGold Ashanti says it will continue to be resolute in its approach towards the health and well-being of residents of communities in its operational areas.
Ms Mavis Nana Yaa Kyei, the Social Development and Gender Superintendent, Aglogold Ashanti, said the company would leave no stone unturned in the quest to implement the healthcare interventions in its 10-year socio-economic development plan.
Speaking at a free health screening exercise for the people of New Edubiase and its surrounding communities in the Ashanti Region to mark this year’s World Malaria Control Day, she called on stakeholders in the Mine’s operational areas to support the company to achieve the vision of improving the health conditions of the people.
The exercise was carried out in collaboration with GIZ, Otumfuo Foundation, AGA Health Foundation, AngloGold Malarial Control Programme, and the Edubiase Divisional Council.
The residents were screened for various health conditions such as malaria, high blood pressure, HIV/AIDs, and dental healthcare and offered free treatment and drugs.
Nana Yaa Kyei said the AngloGold malaria control programme was instituted after the company detected high levels of deaths in the area caused by malaria.
The programme, which involved indoor residual spraying, had contributed significantly to malaria prevention in the communities, she said, and that it had provided protection to over 1.2 million Ghanaians annually, across 16 districts in the Ashanti, Upper West and East regions.
Mr Robert Mensah, the Adansi South District Director of Health Services, lauded AngloGold for its interventions and other internal strategies by the health directorate, which had dramatically reduced malaria cases in the district.
Mr Mensah said the Directorate had stepped up community sensitisation programmes to drive home the importance of a clean environment to prevent mosquitoes, which were the main causes of malaria in the communities.
Oguahyia Oduropanin Birikorang I, Chief of Edubiase, stressed the importance of cleanliness in communities and said the Traditional Council had set up a committee, which sought to organise clean-up exercises in the various communities to weed out filth and destroy the breeding places of mosquities.
He called on the people to make environmental cleanliness a part of their daily lives to help prevent diseases.
