The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana has issued a stark warning that the country’s local pharmaceutical industry is at serious risk of collapse due to the ongoing devastation caused by illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey.
According to the Society, galamsey is contaminating vital water sources and damaging medicinal plants that serve as essential raw materials for local drug production.
Speaking at a forum in Cape Coast on Thursday, September 25, the President of the Pharmaceutical Society, Dr. Samuel Kow Donkor, stressed the urgency of the situation.
“Ghana currently relies on imports for 70% of its medicines. The remaining locally manufactured drugs require quality water—especially for processes like infusion production. If galamsey forces the shutdown of our water treatment plants, we’re heading for a national catastrophe,” Dr. Donkor cautioned.
He warned that without immediate action, the country could become entirely dependent on imported medicines, leading to the collapse of the domestic pharmaceutical industry.
Dr. Donkor also framed the issue as more than just an environmental or public health concern, stating that the sustainability of Ghana’s drug production capacity is a matter of national security.
He called for urgent and coordinated action to halt illegal mining and protect critical natural resources needed for the survival of the local pharmaceutical sector.
