Port Sudan — On Saturday, Sudan’s Minister of Health, Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim said that the increase in mineral deposits led to the spread of diseases and environmental destruction in mining areas.
Speaking to the Sudan News Agency (SUNA), he said that recent landslides in Abu Hamad resulted in the death of 80 people.
Random mining is allegedly widespread in six states, most notably River Nile State, Northern State, Kordofan, Darfur and Eastern States.
Last year, in the Nile River the mixture of mercury with ground and seawater led to mass water pollution, Haitham said. He confirmed the presence of a high percentage of toxic substances in Nile River State residents after taking samples from them.
The Minister of Health unveiled an agreement with the Supreme Council for the Environment, the Public Health Laboratory, and the General Administration of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, to enact legislation and laws that help educate mines and society on the dangers of diseases resulting from illegal mining and its risks.