When the COVID-19 pandemic reached the Western North Region of Ghana, Michael played an instrumental role in protecting the community and his colleagues at Chirano.
Michael was a key advocate for health and safety best practices across the mine and shared these tips with the community. He was responsible for sourcing personal protective equipment (PPE) and hygienic products for the community and created educational campaigns on the importance of implementing these best practices to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
While educating the community played a crucial role in limiting the impact of the virus on the region, Michael knew they needed to be prepared in the event of an outbreak. With help from his team, Michael led the development of a 13-bed isolation centre at the mine, and two isolation centres in the Sefwi and Bibiani districts. The centres came fully stocked with PPE and rapid test kits that Michael was responsible for purchasing for the mine.
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to patients with non-related illnesses in the clinic, Michael developed an online medical consultation platform ‘Telemedicine’ that allows non-COVID-19 patients to consult with a doctor virtually over ‘Zoom’.
“Working with Michael during the pandemic has been an irreplaceable experience. He is constantly thinking ahead and remaining one step ahead of the virus to ensure the safety of our people. We are lucky to have such a talented man on our team,” said a colleague.
Michael’s leadership and commitment to protecting our people, and our community have been instrumental in preventing an outbreak at Chirano. He worked continuously for 12 weeks during the peak of the pandemic, and earned a COVID-19 Champions award earlier this year. Thank you to Michael for your hard work, dedication and for being an Outstanding Corporate Citizen.