Tuberculosis and Silicosis: Deadly Mining Conditions Plague Artisanal Miners
Mining & Trade Review –
One of the key concerns she raised was that many women work in poorly ventilated environments and are exposed to silica dust, a major cause of TB and silicosis.
These working conditions, combined with a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), put women at a very high risk of contracting TB.
“Many women miners work in informal or unregulated sectors, meaning they lack access to health insurance or employment protections that could support them through illness,” said Mphande.
Access to healthcare services, particularly in remote mining areas. Even when services are available, social and economic barriers, including stigma, prevent many women from seeking timely treatment.
“There is a stigma around TB in mining communities, and women tend to face more discrimination when they seek treatment. This stigma, combined with gender bias in healthcare services, often leads to delayed diagnosis and poorer health outcomes for women compared to men,” she explained.
Despite these challenges, Mphande said there are efforts within Malawi’s mining sector to address the issue of TB among women miners. Through TIMS, mobile health units have been deployed to rural mining areas to conduct screenings and offer treatment.
“TIMS has been a game-changer for many miners, but there’s still a need for more gender-sensitive approaches to ensure women miners are not left out,” Mphande said.
She also appreciated the role of local and international organizations such as the FWYM and World Health Organization (WHO), which has been actively promoting health and safety awareness in mining communities. These organizations work closely with the government and health agencies to run campaigns focused on the prevention of TB and silicosis.
“The National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) supports ASMs financially, which improves the economic conditions of ASMs, particularly women.
These miners are better positioned to access healthcare services and protective equipment that reduces the risk of TB,” Mphande said.
However, Mphande believes that more needs to be done. “We need to ensure that PPE is designed specifically for women and that health care services in mining areas are more inclusive. The lack of gender-specific health programs is still a major gap.”
She also called for stronger regional cooperation within the SADC framework, stressing that TB in the mining sector is a cross-border issue. Many miners in Southern Africa, including those from Malawi, migrate to work in mines across the region, increasing the risk of spreading TB.
She said: “Regional cooperation is key because TB does not stop at borders. We need to work together to standardize health policies and improve cross-border healthcare services for miners.”
As for the future, Mphande sees great potential in expanding initiatives like TIMS and involving more stakeholders to ensure sustainable health interventions.
“Linking SADC Women in Mining with more partners will ensure that our efforts last beyond these meetings,” she said.
However, she emphasized that addressing the gender specific challenges women miners face will require more than just policy changes as it will need a shift in how health and safety issues in the mining sector are approached.
“We need to put women’s health at the center of these discussions if we want real progress,” she said.
Mphande’s participation at the SADC meeting has shed light on the ongoing health crisis among women miners and the urgent need for more comprehensive, gender-sensitive interventions across the region. Her advocacy continues to push for better policies and more inclusive health solutions that prioritize the well-being of women in the mining industry.
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Women in Malawi’s Mining Sector bemoan challenges
Mining & Trade News
October 04, 2024
Modester Mwalija
Women in Malawi’s mining industry play an essential but often overlooked role. Despite their significant contributions to day to day livelihood, their potential remains largely untapped due to systemic challenges that hinder their progress.
In an interview with Mining and Trade Review, President of the Federation of Women and Youth in Mining (FWYM) Flore-Annie Kamanga explained that across the country, particularly in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASMs), women encounter limited access to resources, face health and safety risks and are restricted by cultural norms to pursue some vital roles in the trade.
“The reality is that most women in ASM are doing the hard, manual labour and they work long hours for very little pay. The conditions are often dangerous, leaving women vulnerable to exploitation,” she said.
Kamanga added that women in ASM also face significant challenges when it comes to accessing resources, technology, and training, making it difficult for them to improve their productivity or move beyond low-income activities.
“Women have very little access to the resources they need, whether it is financial support or access to better technology and this limits their ability to grow in the industry.”
She also said that health and safety risks are another critical concern as women miners often work in hazardous conditions without adequate safety measures or protective equipment, exposing them to higher risks of injury and illness.
“Lack of protective gear is a major issue as many women are working in environments where they are exposed to harmful chemicals and dangerous conditions, and they do not have the necessary equipment to protect themselves.”
She explained that cultural norms further restrict women’s opportunities in the mining industry. These norms often prevent women from accessing higher-paying, skilled jobs, leaving them in roles that offer less financial reward and fewer opportunities for advancement.
“There is still a belief that women do not fit in certain roles in mining especially in the higher-skilled, better-paying jobs,”
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