AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine has donated medical supplies worth GH?600,000 to the Teberebie Health Centre and Adieyie Clinic located in its operational area.

The supplies include an automated WBC 3-Differential Hematology, L2800 Microscope, Benchtop high performance centrifuge, oxygen with trolley, mask and nasal tubes, gent-x piston compressor nebulizer, portable phlegm suction machine, ambubag, pulse oximetre, ENT Otoscope, beds, refrigerator and personal protective equipment for the healthcare professionals.

Mr Stephen Adjei, the Senior Manager, Sustainability, AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine, said the items were to assist the health facilities to offer efficient and effective services to residents within the host communities.

He said the donation also formed part of the Mine's aim to support the country's healthcare sector.

Mr Adjei said the Mine's periodic medical outreach programme, scheduled for residents of Teberebie and its environs, had been organised to promote good health and well-being for all ages in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG- 3).

As part of this outreach, he explained that the Mine had already undertaken various health sensitisation programmes on COVID-19 and malaria prevention, as well as administering primary medical care and treatment to members of their host communities.

Mr Adjei said the: "Iduapriem Mine remains committed to improving community health through strengthening the local health systems for sustainability, working in partnership with governments and other stakeholders to address the health challenges".

He expressed the hope that the items would go a long way to equip the health facilities to respond appropriately to the healthcare needs of citizens, not only within the host communities but the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality and beyond.

"The Mine remains part of the Municipal COVID-19 Emergency Response Team and we are glad our health workers and some other professionals have received their vaccines. We will encourage the rest of us to be in readiness for the vaccine so we can protect ourselves and loved ones from the pandemic," he said.

Mr Adjei appealed to the residents to continually adhere to the safety protocols outlined by healthcare professionals to avert the spread of the virus.

The Iduapriem Mine would soon hand over a fully resourced Isolation Centre to complement government's efforts to deal with the COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, he announced.

Nana Adarkwa Bediako III, Gyasehene of Apinto Divisional Council, commended the Mine for the support and appealed to the Health Directorate to upgrade the facilities to polyclinic statuses for more communities to benefit from their services.

He said the equipment would help foster a better partnership between the Mine and its host communities and called on the Management to employ more of the youths into the company.

Mrs Caroline Effah Otoo, the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Health Director, who received the items, expressed gratitude to the Mine for the assistance.

She said the donation was timely as it would enhance the work of the health professionals.

Mrs Otoo appealed to the Mine to provide the Teberebie Health Centre with an ultrasound scan machine to enable it to fully attend to pregnant women who visited the facility.