The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSG) has warned that the country’s local pharmaceutical industry risks collapse due to the devastating effects of illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
The Society explained that galamsey operations are polluting water bodies and destroying plants that serve as essential raw materials for drug production in Ghana.
Speaking at a forum in Cape Coast on Thursday, September 25, 2025, PSG President Dr. Samuel Kow Donkor stressed the urgent need for action.
“Ghana currently depends on 70% of its medicines on imports. The locally produced medicines need quality water for production, especially for infusion manufacturing. When our water treatment plants are shut down because of galamsey, we will face a catastrophic scenario.
“When that happens, we will not only have to import our medicines, but we will completely collapse our local pharmaceutical industry,” Dr. Donkor cautioned.
He further emphasized that addressing galamsey goes beyond environmental and health concerns, noting it is also a national security issue, as the survival of Ghana’s local pharmaceutical sector relies heavily on access to clean water and natural raw materials.
Source: Adomonline
