GEITA Gold Mine Limited (GGM) is one of the biggest mining companies in East and Central Africa. Besides mining business, the company is also taking health issues a priority in corporate social responsibility as Our Correspondent IMANI LWINGA writes…

HAVING lived in despair and considered herself unworthy girl for many years as she suffered from lip and cleft deformities-a terrible disease inflicting a big number of people in the lake zone-the 21-year-old Mary Dimafrose has ultimately gained her dignity.

Mary from Katolo village in Geita was in Dar es Salaam with other 20 patients sponsored by Geita Gold Mine to undergo surgery that has been quite successful. The surgery has completely changed Mary’s image and her life as well. She is preparing to return to her home place as a new person with not only bright face but also bright future.

Due to the health disorders she had, Mary could not attend school. She could not even talk properly.

“Now I want to start school. I have missed it and it’s time that I have to get it,” says the good-humored Mary. His brother of nine (9) has also undergone surgery and he is doing well. Like his sister Richard has not started school.

The disease that shattered Mary’s hope is a widespread problem in the lake zone. Medical experts say its effects are much traumatized to the affected children. Children of this condition are segregated and hidden indoor by parents. Yet many are barred from enrolment into schools.

Other children are Tumaini Gervas, Catherine Misalaba, Daniel Abel, Esther Asoni, Fred Richard, Laurent Kessy, Nestory Mathias, Pauline Charles, Richard Shoko, Pascal Adrian, Mathayo Hamisi, Steven Shabani, and Suzana Karugula.

There were also adults who had a lot to tell of the change of their physical appearance following the successful surgical operations conducted by a team of Australian doctors, Dr. Tony Baker and Dr. Tony Connell at CCBRT Disability Hospital.

The adults included Chausiku William (32), Baluha Mlyakado (35), Daniel Kayumbo (47) and Shukuru Konde (48). There facial appearances after the operations completely changed. The psychological agony of many years vanished.

“He was being segregated by fellow kids before this operation. It was painful to experience such a situation,” says a young mother of Frank Richard, a boy of five (5) from Sungusila village.

Daniel Kayumbo (47) an adult person from Nyarugusu town was among those underwent the surgery. “I thought it was a disorder that have come from God and had no cure,” Kayumbo says, showing his pictures before operation. He says it was terrible because no body in his family had suffered such a diformity, even among his 13 children.

“Praise to God who sent GGM to me. I also thank the doctors who have done this operation. I will send a message to others so that they are operated next year,” says Kayumbo. He says Bukombe District and other surrounding areas are very affected.

Mary Ntobeka speaks of her 4-year-old son Steven Shaban that the child was seen among others as a ghost and had always been unhappy. She is now a relieved mother as her child looks like other children. The lips are normal.

The 48-year-old man Shukuru Thabit says he is now happy for he can work and talk comfortably.

The patients were accompanied two nurses, John Mpalale and Hiliati Mulumba, from Geita District Hospital and GGM’s hospital at the mine respectively.

“I’m happy to go back home with people thought to be disabled, but now treated,” says Mpalale.

Thanks to GGM through its health outreach programme which has resorted into helping the children affected by this outrageous diformities.

The Anglo Gold Ashanti country manager Hatibu Senkoro said that GGM has spent US$ 10,000 (more than 10m/=) as sponsorship to 20 children for surgical operations.

“Geita Gold Mine is proud to be associated with the surgical mission as one of local sponsors and is very thankful to the team led by one of the Australian leading surgeons Dr. Anthony Baker, for their noble and philanthropic effort,” said Mr. Senkoro.

Others in the team were the reputable cleft palate surgeon, Dr. Anthony Connell, Dr. Andrew Wild and Dr. Timothy Mann, both anaesthetists. The rest are nurses, Mrs. Michelle Carthew, Ms Wilma Dunne, Ms Natasha Haines and Ms Meg Twine.

“The cause of cleft and lip disorder is not exactly known,” says Dr. Backer, the leading surgeon who adds that: “It is a problem worldwide though in developed world the cure is known.”

The doctor said that the main cure to the problem is operations. The operations are normally performed immediately after birth or during childhood. However, the expert says it may be a genetic problem as these are families which are mostly affected. Dr. Backer however states that more research is required to be done.

Dr. Tony Connell says that it’s not true that the disease has much affected the lake zone region villages in Tanzania. He says that it’s only because most mining companies such as GGM come there and have searched and found the people with such disorders.

“The problem is also in the other parts of the country. Even in urban centres though the awareness for treatment is greater than other parts of the country,” says Dr. Connell.

All people brought for the surgery have been treated and now are happily returning home as new persons.

The experts have conducted surgery to 64 children in need of reconstructive plastic surgery for the last two weeks at CCBRT Disability Hospital. Doctors from Australia teamed up with those of CCBRT for the surgery.

Other children have also been screened and will be operated after the Australian team departs by the CCBRT doctors, demonstrating a key mission, which is skill transfer and training.

According to CCBRT Hospital Director, Mr. Richard Hess, children who are operated have problems such as cleft lip (the lip has not closed), scars from burns, and other deformities. Doctors from other hospitals are invited to attend the sessions.

CCBRT help people with varying disabilities and to provide service to patients with little money who usually not have easy access to services. All patients pay according to capacity. People who have money pay higher (but still a fair) price, than those who do not have money. Donors also support the surgeries.

The Western Australian (WA) Doctors mission is the second in Tanzania. Last year they conducted over 100 surgeries of which 11 children from Geita were sponsored and supported by GGM.

Despite its support, GGM wants the programme to be permanent. The company is also advising that, if possible, it would prefer the venue of operations to be transferred to Bugando Hospital in Mwanza by next year from CCBRT.

It is considered that if that would be done, the operation cost would go down and therefore include more children to the surgical programme. This is basically because the problem is widespread in the lake zone.

According to the Country Manager of Anglogold Ashanti which owns GGM, Mr. Hatibu Senkoro, with the venue being located to Mwanza, transport, accommodation costs to Dar es Salaam for the disordered children would be appropriately cut.

GGM, Tanzania’s biggest mining supports health activities as one of its priority area on social development. Basically, the company gives weight on priority areas such as health, including HIV/AIDS, education, and community development.

With 2,500 employees, Geita Gold Mine is a subsidiary company of AngloGold Ashanti of South Africa, a multi-national company with 25 operations in 25 countries worldwide. AngloGold Ashanti has a turnover of US$ 3 billion per year.

Posted By: imani lwinga