Galamsey threatens collapse of local drug industry— Pharmaceutical Society Warns

The Ghana Pharmaceutical Society has raised serious concerns about the survival of the country’s local pharmaceutical industry, warning that illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey, pose a critical threat to drug manufacturing in Ghana.

According to the Society, galamsey operations are polluting vital water sources and contaminating plants used as raw materials in the production of medicines, placing immense strain on local pharmaceutical companies.

Speaking at a forum in Cape Coast on Thursday, September 25, 2025, the President of the Society, Dr. Samuel Kow Donkor, called for urgent government intervention to avert what he described as a looming crisis.

“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 import our medicines, but we will completely collapse our local pharmaceutical industry,” he warned.

Dr. Donkor emphasized that the fight against illegal mining should be viewed not only as an environmental or public health issue but also as a matter of national security, given its direct impact on the sustainability of local medicine production.