Assessing the effects of mining projects on maternal, new-born and child health in sub-saharan Africa

Over the past two decades, natural resource extraction has drastically increased in many world regions due to increasing demand for various commodities that the earth can provide, such as metals, minerals, gemstones, coal, oil and gas. Industrial mining can come with significant local, regional and national economic growth, including job opportunities and investments in other producing sectors (agriculture, fishery and trade). However, mining projects also negatively impact local communities, the environment, and public health in producing regions.
While a substantial body of literature provides insights into opportunities and risks for public health associated with mining, the mechanisms through which it affects maternal and child health (MCH) are still scarce. Such evidence is a pressing need to inform policy and decision-making at the national and regional levels to engage mining projects toward achieving the SDG 2030 targets.
The overarching goal of this thesis was to assess the effect of mining projects on maternal, newborn and child health in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). To work towards this goal, this thesis pursued three specific activities: (a) produce a global overview of human health-related studies carried out in artisanal and small-scale mining contexts; (b) assess the effects of mining projects on child health in SSA; and (c) explore perceived impacts of mining on MCH in Mozambique. The findings of this thesis show that the inclusion of MCH in the frame of health impact assessments (HIA) of large infrastructure developments is a critical path to follow for engaging mining projects to work jointly with the public sector towards the achievement of the 2030 SDGs Agenda of the United Nations.