Mining companies have the potential to play a key role in extending health services to remote and marginalised populations in sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is a need to better understand the type and range of health services mining companies provide either directly or indirectly to communities living in their area of influence and document the approaches that work best.
Montrose (in partnership with HPI) competitively won a joint DFID, IFC and Rockefeller contract under the HANSHEP (Harnessing non-state actors for better health for the poor) umbrella to do this.
Solution
Montrose identified a range of good practices on how mining companies can extend health services to marginalised populations in Africa.
Montrose’s Managing Director, Dr Graham Root, was the Project Director, and led the team in conducting a comprehensive literature review and cost-benefit analysis on mining health public private partnerships followed by a series of in-depth field-based case studies of current and planned health projects designed and implemented by mining companies for staff and affected communities.
The case studies were in Mozambique (Kenmare Resources), Ghana (Newmont Mining), Madagascar (Rio Tinto) and Zambia (First Quantum Minerals).
All of the case studies were in remote areas and the programmes attempted to address the health needs of highly marginalised, rural populations. The case studies included consideration of process for identification of: community health needs and priorities; ommunication, reporting and accountability mechanisms in place for local communities; engagement with local government; and sustainability of the health programme.
Impact
The findings of the case studies resulted in the development of good practice papers on health service delivery by mining companies in a range of implementation and epidemiological settings that were of relevance to the mining sector as well as development partners.
The findings were presented at the 2013 Mining Indaba as well as to the International Council of Mines and Metals. Specific papers are listed below:
