Newmont Ghana’s Akyem Mines in the Eastern Region has donated a number of medical supplies worth GH 166,000.00 to health facilities to help curb COVID-19 in the mine’s host communities and the region at large.
The supplies presented to the New Abirem Government Hospital and the Birim Central Municipal Health Directorate include Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), personal hygiene items, and hospital equipment and consumables.
A brief ceremony where COVID-19 protocols were keenly observed to present the items, the General Manager of Newmont Ghana’s Akyem Mines, Mr. Joshua Mortoti said the donation clearly indicates the commitment the gold mining company has in supporting health facilities to better position to manage the effects of the virus in the mine’s catchment area.
” As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to evoke within the country, we recognize the critical need for these interventions in our communities to stem the spread of the virus,” Mr. Mortoti said.
He explained, the company’s hallmark is valuing the health and safety of its staff and the residents at the various host communities so it is the mandate of the company to keep supporting via contribution to the facilities to tackle the virus effectively.
Receiving the items on behalf of the health facilities, the Municipal Health Director for Birim Central, Mr. James Avoka thanked the mines company for supporting health facilities and the staff who have been working tirelessly since the outbreak of the deadly virus all in the name of preventing and controlling the spread.
He revealed that the effort by Newmont Ghana has come on time in response to the directorate’s request for PPEs and other medical supplies to benefit the hospital, clinics, and other health facilities across the municipality.
The District Chief Executive(DCE) for Birim North, Honourable Remond Nana Damptey commended the company for its support to help improve the living conditions of the people within its catchment area. According to the DCE, the donation adds on to Newmont’s previous 20,000 US Dollars to the assembly and also the construction of the isolation unit at the New Abirem Government Hospital. Building materials priced GH. 28,500.00 dashed for the construction of the hospital.
In April 2020, Newmont Ghana donated 100,000 US Dollars support package to Ghana’s public health efforts to control the transmission of COVID-19 where the Noguchi Health and Medical Research Centre in Accra and the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine received 25,000 US Dollars each, the Asutifi North District Assembly earning 20,000 US Dollars and Tano North Municipal Assembly getting 10,000 Dollars