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Pneumoconiosis among artisanal miners in Chunya district, Mbeya, Tanzania
  1. Issakwisa Habakkuk Mwakyula1,2,
  2. Emanuel Makarius1,
  3. Haika Maro3,4 and
  4. Cecilia Ngatunga5,6
  1. 1 Internal Medicine, Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital, Mbeya, Tanzania, United Republic of
  2. 2 Internal Medicine, University of Dar es Salaam Mbeya College of Health and Allied Sciences, Mbeya, Tanzania, United Republic of
  3. 3 Radiology, Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital, Mbeya, Tanzania, United Republic of
  4. 4 Radiology, University of Dar es Salaam Mbeya College of Health and Allied Sciences, Mbeya, Tanzania, United Republic of
  5. 5 Department of Radiology, Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital, Mbeya, Tanzania, United Republic of
  6. 6 University of Dar es Salaam Mbeya College of Health and Allied Sciences, Mbeya, Tanzania, United Republic of
  1. Correspondence to Dr Issakwisa Habakkuk Mwakyula; ozzanne{at}gmail.com

Abstract

This case series sheds light on the pulmonary diseases afflicting artisanal gold miners in Chunya district, Mbeya, Tanzania. We present 3 cases from a group of 21 miners. The patients, ranging in age and mining exposure, exhibited symptoms of severe pulmonary conditions, including pneumoconiosis, pulmonary hypertension and Cor pulmonale, attributed to prolonged exposure to dust and inadequate protective measures in mining environments. These cases underscore the urgent need for enhanced occupational health standards and preventive strategies in artisanal mining communities.

  • Respiratory medicine
  • Global Health
  • Healthcare improvement and patient safety
  • Exposures
  • Occupational and environmental medicine

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Footnotes

  • X @ozzanne

  • Contributors The following authors were responsible for drafting of the text, sourcing and editing of clinical images, investigation results, drawing original diagrams and algorithms, and critical revision for important intellectual content: IHM, EM, HM and CN.The following authors gave contribution to the literature: IHM and EM.The following authors gave final approval of the manuscript: IHM, EM, HM and CN.

  • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

  • Case reports provide a valuable learning resource for the scientific community and can indicate areas of interest for future research. They should not be used in isolation to guide treatment choices or public health policy.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.