Experts are sounding the alarm about the effects of illegal mining, commonly referred to as “galamsey,” on fertility rates among both men and women in Ghana, linking the problem to harmful chemicals used in the mining process.
Dr. Rudolph Kantum Adageba, president of the Fertility Society of Ghana (FERSOG), stated that exposure to toxic substances like mercury and cyanide, frequently employed in illegal mining operations, can severely impact reproductive health, resulting in infertility, abnormal DNA, and other long-term health issues.
In an interview with the media during the 7th Annual General and Scientific Conference held in Kumasi on Sunday, October 6, Dr. Adageba urged for stricter enforcement of mining regulations to address these escalating concerns.
“The sort of chemicals they use in galamsey can affect the reproductive system. You know heavy metals, when they enter the body, can affect the DNA of the sperm and the eggs. The DNA is the genetic code that gives the information to the type of organ that you develop.”
“So, if that DNA becomes defective, the children may become defective. In fact, it doesn’t relate only to IVF. Even natural conception. Those who conceive naturally can get those things,” he stated.
