In Ghana, records show that a new born baby dies every 15 minutes, and 29% of these deaths are due to premature birth complications. To overturn this trend, hospitals and healthcare facilities need to be equipped with Infant incubators to help improve the newborn survival rate.
Against this background, Newmont Golden Ridge Limited (Akyem Mine) employees and contractors launched a social responsibility initiative in 2017 to raise funds to support neonatal healthcare in the Birim North District.
The initiative yielded GHS70, 000.00 towards the purchase of two new incubators to support infant child healthcare in the district. The funds also enabled the company to refurbish a room to house the incubators.
The donation makes the hospital the only health facility within the district with infant incubators and this will contribute significantly to improving healthcare delivery and reducing infant mortality associated with premature births.
The initiative was the brainchild of the Mine Maintenance Team and contractors in collaboration with the Women & Allies Network, a business resource group within Newmont that creates a platform to empower, inspire and motivate women to utilize opportunities and take up more challenging roles in the mining industry.
At a ceremony to donate the infant incubators, Felix Apoh, the Senior Manager, Sustainability & External Relations of the Akyem Mine, reiterated the company`s commitment to partner with all stakeholders to create value and improve lives through sustainable and responsible mining.
In 2016, Newmont employees and contractors raised GHS108, 380 (27,789 USD) to assist 200 orphaned and needy children from the mine’s host communities. Items presented to the children included learning materials, shoes, sandals, school uniforms, and one year paid school fees and one year premium for the Ghana National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Newmont, through such initiatives, is charting a course to ensure the attainment of the global sustainable development goals, which seeks to promote healthy lives and well-being. They are committed to drive long-term value creation to promote well-being for all at all ages through partnership with all their stakeholders.
