The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSG) has raised alarms about the country potentially having to import water to sustain local pharmaceutical production if illegal mining activities are not urgently curtailed.
This warning came during the society’s 2024 annual general meeting, where the PSG highlighted the severe impact illegal mining has on water bodies, leading to escalating water treatment costs essential for pharmaceutical manufacturing.
The PSG explained that due to the environmental damage caused by illegal mining, the treatment of water for producing pharmaceutical products locally is becoming increasingly costly. This burden, they added, contributes to the rising prices of medicines in Ghana.
PSG President, Dr. Samuel Kow Donkoh, cautioned that if immediate steps are not taken to combat illegal mining, Ghana could face the daunting prospect of importing water to support local industries.
He stressed that the country’s pharmaceutical manufacturers, who currently meet all national infusion needs, depend heavily on access to clean water.
The society is urging the government to implement strict measures to tackle illegal mining, which threatens vital water sources used for multiple purposes.
“The activities of illegal miners have severely contaminated our water bodies, making it more expensive for pharmaceutical companies to treat water for their manufacturing needs. While Ghana is currently self-sufficient in local infusion production, illegal mining endangers this accomplishment.
If this environmental degradation persists, we may soon confront the stark reality of importing water for our industries. The pollution is so severe that costly technologies are needed to purify the water, further inflating the cost of medicines. We urge the government to take immediate, decisive action to end this lawlessness,” Dr. Donkoh added.
Source: Adomonline
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