The Paediatric Society of Ghana (PSG) has called on government to declare illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, a national child health emergency, warning of irreversible damage to children’s brain development and Ghana’s long-term future.
In an open letter addressed to the President, Parliament and Cabinet on Monday, February 23, 2026, the Society described the situation as a crisis requiring urgent and decisive national action.
President of the Society, Dr. Hilda Mantebea Boye, warned that toxic chemicals released through illegal mining including mercury, lead, arsenic and cyanide are contaminating water bodies, soil and the food chain.
“Children are being exposed to dangerous toxins through drinking water, fish, crops and even household dust,” she stated.
According to Dr. Boye, pregnant women and young children are particularly vulnerable because heavy metals can cross the placenta and also enter breast milk. “There is no safe level of exposure to some of these toxins. The damage to the developing brain can be permanent and irreversible,” she stressed.
She explained that scientific evidence links toxic exposure to reduced IQ, speech delays, behavioural disorders, anaemia, stunted growth, weakened immunity, kidney and liver damage, and an increased risk of chronic diseases later in life.
Beyond toxic exposure, the Society noted that children have also lost their lives after falling into abandoned mining pits left uncovered by illegal operators. “Open galamsey pits have become death traps in many communities,” Dr. Boye added.
The Society emphasised that the impact of galamsey extends far beyond individual health, affecting national development and economic productivity. “Children who suffer neurological damage today may struggle academically, drop out of school, and face reduced productivity as adults. This directly weakens Ghana’s human capital,” Dr. Boye said.
She added that the financial burden is equally alarming. “Lead exposure alone costs low and middle-income countries hundreds of billions of dollars annually in lost productivity. Ghana cannot afford this preventable loss,” she cautioned, pointing to rising healthcare costs for dialysis, cancer treatment and long-term disability support.
Key recommendations
The Paediatric Society of Ghana is urging government to:
- Declare galamsey a child health emergency,
- Protect and monitor water sources serving pregnant women, children and schools,
- Conduct nationwide heavy metal screening in high-risk districts,
- Enforce zero tolerance against illegal mining,
- Establish long-term child development monitoring programmes,
- Incorporate child health impact assessments into all mining and environmental policies.
Dr. Boye underscored that Ghana’s development depends on the strength of its human capital, not merely its natural resources.
“Protecting children from galamsey is a moral, medical and economic imperative. If we fail to act now, the consequences will haunt this nation for generations.”
