Zim scales up mercury medical tests

Blessings Chidakwa in Kadoma
Zimbabwean doctors and their German counterparts have joined hands on a study to ascertain mercury levels among artisanal miners in the country with those with fairly elevated levels set to be treated free of charge.

The study being funded by the German government is also meant to give Zimbabwe a clear insight of mercury levels among artisanal miners with a view of improving their health and safety. Mercury is used to refine gold and is a highly-poisonous element which can affect the brain, nervous and reproductive systems if inhaled as vapour.

The World Health Organisation considers mercury as one of the top 10 chemicals of major public health concern.

According to geologist Dr Dennis Shoko, who is leading the delegation which visited Kadoma General Hospital recently, the study was a follow up to a similar research carried out sometime between 2002 and 2007. Government, then, was looking at raising awareness in the deleterious effects of mercury while conducting various medical tests.

“This is a follow up to that programme and is being funded by Germany’s Ministries of Environment and Health and we are targeting to collect samples from about 200 artisanal miners, half from Kadoma and the other half from Shurugwi,” he said.

“We have a number of artisanal miners who participated last time and are here so we will be able to compare levels of mercury then and now. Once these people have been tested, results will be presented to the Zimbabwean Government, stakeholders and miners themselves, that is, sometime in May.”

Dr Shoko said those with fairly elevated levels of mercury will have to be treated and also counselled so that they do not abuse mercury or use it in such a way that it affects their health. Specialist occupational physician Dr Dingani Moyo, who is working with a German medical doctor in conducting the mercury tests, said the main aim of the study was to ascertain the burden of mercury intoxication among small-scale miners.

“This is important especially in terms of improving the health and safety of miners, if we find out the levels are much higher than the recommended limits,” he said.