Health experts in Ghana have identified illegal mining (galamsey) as a significant contributor to rising breast cancer cases in the Eastern Region, citing environmental contamination by toxic chemicals as a key factor.
The findings were revealed by Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, founder of Breast Care International, during a two-day oncology workshop in Kumasi attended by journalists and medical professionals.
“Data confirms a dangerous link between galamsey and increased cancer rates. Women and children are disproportionately affected,” Dr. Wiafe Addai stated, emphasizing that polluted water and soil from mining activities expose communities to carcinogens. She noted a troubling rise in late-stage diagnoses due to limited healthcare access and environmental degradation.
Dr. Oheneba Kwabena Opoku Adusei, former President of the Ghana Medical Association, highlighted a shift in demographics, with breast cancer increasingly affecting younger individuals in their 20s and 30s. “Early detection saves lives, but awareness and clean environments are equally critical,” he urged, calling for empathy and community support for patients.
The workshop underscored the media’s role in advocacy. “Journalists must hold stakeholders accountable and educate the public on both cancer and mining hazards,” Dr. Wiafe Addai stressed. Experts also appealed for investments in local research to tailor solutions for Ghanaian communities.
The surge coincides with rampant illegal mining, which has poisoned water sources and farmland. Despite government efforts to curb galamsey, enforcement remains inconsistent, exacerbating health and ecological crises.
