By Linda Soko Tembo
A permanent brain-damaging health condition with symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease has hit workers at Indian-owned Southern Africa Ferro Alloys Limited (SAFAL) in Serenje, central Zambia.
Close to twenty manganese mineworkers at the mine have been diagnosed with what health experts are calling “manganese disease”. Manganese disease symptoms are similar to those of Parkinson’s. They include trembling, stiffness, slow motor movement and potentially-severe depression, anxiety and hostility.
The Ministry of health has not responded to MakanDay’s request for comment on the disease that is threatening the lives of many residents in Mkushi and Serenje, were manganese is a major source of income. This is contained in a report published by Makanday.