Fatal attraction for miners as diseases thrive

THE lure of gold draws in tens of thousands of Ghanaians to artisan mining every year.

The attraction for some, though, can be fatal. Besides the rat-like tunnels that threaten to collapse, illegal miners face a plethora of diseases that flourish near the dark recesses of the mines.

Processing the gold also has huge health risks. Cases of stillbirths, skin diseases and chemical-related poisoning are common.