Community Development - Mining and the Environment: From Ore to Metal - page 636

Arrangements range from small clinics staffed by paramedics to fully equipped hospitals
with medical doctors and nursing staff, depending mainly on the size of the mining opera-
tion. Alternatively, where operations are located close to an existing town, the company
may opt to sponsor additional capabilities in existing medical facilities so they can cope
with mine-related cases, rather than duplicate facilities. In many circumstances, medical
facilities located at the mine site are not accessible to the local villagers, although services
and facilities are made available in the event of an emergency. Whatever course is adopted
there is the potential for discord between the company and local community if company
personnel (and their families) qualify for a much higher standard of medical care than is
available to those not employed in the project. For this reason, particularly for operations
in remote areas without pre-existing medical facilities, some mining companies make their
facilities available to all, regardless of employment.
It is also relatively common for a mining company to assist government medical pro-
grammes by providing funding for government health facilities, in order to provide ade-
quate health services in the project area. Company initiatives may include identifying
specii c health programmes needed in the project area and considering ways of meeting
those needs. Mining companies are responsible for ensuring a safe work environment for
employees and for protecting the public from any direct or indirect adverse health affects
from the mining activity. Direct health effects are unlikely given the attention paid to
management of emissions and efl uents. However, there is always potential for indirect
effects such as introduction of diseases by incoming workers.
The presence of a project workforce will potentially cause changes in the proi le of local
health issues, so that the main health care focus during construction may be to address
risks such as alcohol abuse and sexually transmitted diseases (STD). During operations,
efforts should continue to enforce rules that protect public health, including the medical
examination of potential recruits prior to employment, and ongoing health surveillance for
the workforce including routine medical check-ups, early diagnosis, and treatment.
Most mining projects adopt a drug and alcohol policy to ensure that the work-place is
drug and alcohol free. No mining project will tolerate employees under the inl uence of
alcohol while at work, as they are a danger to themselves as well as to their colleagues.
While health care services are important to local people, and communities may antici-
pate support from mining projects, community health and local government's provision
of health services are not the responsibility of private investors such as mining companies.
A mining project should work with the relevant government agencies to improve health
care through existing programmes and facilities by providing advice, information, train-
ing, and some basic supplies; however, it should not replace or take on the functions and
responsibilities of the government.
Mining companies can encourage and sponsor the government in conducting health
education programmes within the community, including family planning, STD aware-
ness, general sanitation, and information regarding healthy diets. Special care should be
given to advising, and as necessary, assessing project-affected people about the potential
of malnourishment which may lead to the critical condition of kwashiorkor, a condition
found amongst communities with an over-reliance on carbohydrates (such as rice, cassava,
or sago), and who therefore do not balance protein and fat intake.
Mining companies routinely implement malaria prevention where relevant. Practical
measures include:
●

In many circumstances, medical
facilities located at the mine site
are not accessible to the local
villagers, although services and
facilities are made available in the
event of an emergency.

Most mining projects adopt a
drug and alcohol policy.

A mining project should work
with the relevant government
agencies to improve health care.

raising general awareness;

●

educating mine personnel and visitors on simple precautionary measures, such as to avoid
being in the open at dusk and dawn, and to wear long-sleeve shirts and long trousers;

●

eliminating mosquito-breeding habitats;