Dr. George Peprah, a veteran cardiologist and Medical Superintendent of the Takoradi Government Hospital, has voiced deep concern over a rising number of mysterious medical cases that defy diagnosis in health facilities across Ghana.
According to Dr. Peprah, these puzzling illnesses may be connected to heavy-metal contamination caused by illegal mining (galamsey), which is polluting the nation’s soil and water systems. He cited the recent death of a young breastfeeding mother whose condition could not be identified despite extensive testing at both his hospital and the Cape Coast facility. “We are beginning to die like animals, and doctors can’t explain why. I have decades of experience, but I was completely lost,” he lamented.
His fears are supported by a year-long investigation by Pure Earth, a New York-based NGO, and Ghana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The study uncovered dangerously high concentrations of mercury, arsenic, and other toxic metals in rivers, soil, fish, and vegetables in mining-affected areas. Mercury levels in some locations averaged 56 parts per million—over 20 times above safe limits—while arsenic levels in certain samples reached an alarming 10,000 ppm.
Dr. Peprah warns that these toxic substances may already be accumulating in the human body, triggering new and undetectable health conditions. He calls for a decisive, nationwide crackdown on galamsey, stressing that the crisis is no longer just an environmental threat but an urgent public health emergency.
