INTERNATIONAL POLICY CONFERENCE “COMPETITIVENESS & DIVERSIFICATION: STRATEGIC CHALLENGES IN A PETROLEUM-RICH ECONOMY

1. INTERNATIONAL POLICY CONFERENCE “COMPETITIVENESS & DIVERSIFICATION: STRATEGIC CHALLENGES IN A PETROLEUM-RICH ECONOMY” Oil & Gas Development & Health in Ghana Edith Clark 14 – 15 march 2011, Accra, Ghana

2. OIL & GAS DEVELOPMENT & HEALTH IN GHANA 15 March 2010

3. Context? • Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the oil and gas developments led by by EPA identified 20 priority issues • 15 issues health related; 5 directly concerned with health and health system; others likely to have impacts on the health status by altering the determinants of health. • TOR of SEA does not allow for in-depth coverage of health aspects. • Hence decision to conduct strategic level Health Impact Assessment (SHIA) – Using New WHO governance framework to identify & address health & related social implications • SHIA will run in parallel with the SEA and will feed information and data into the process; • Recommendations of HIA will be coordinated with the health sector plans;

4. Public health concerns identified (i)

5. Key areas to be covered in the HIA (i) • Stakeholder engagement activities, including community engagement, • including a detailed mapping of actors with an interest and role to play in addressing public health concerns • Baseline of current community health status • Analysis of potential impacts of oil and gas activities on health and on health determinants -incl cumulative impacts • Assessment of emergency preparedness and response capacity, in particular to respond to chemical incidents • Assessment of capacity to regulate, monitor, and respond to occupational health and safety issues associated with the growth of a new industry

6. Results Expected from SHIA i. Development of a high level / master (sector level) health management plan which will: • Inform investment activities - to fill gaps identified /build core capacities • Help Identify opportunities to foster alignment between existing health programs & activities & others to be planned • Baseline will be reference point for project operatives conducting EIAs & thus help to influence project level health management plans ii. Monitoring system associated with the health management plan : include early warning signs & use of indicators that can identify health gains & losses in relation to community health baseline iii.Develop institutional capacity for HIA through training and applied learning

7. Conclusion • Terms of Reference for strategic Health Impact Assessment have been drafted • Mobilizing partners and resources to support first phase – the strategic HIA - in early 2011 • SHIA - key opportunity for enhancing integration of public health & occupational health issues within project level HIAs and inform investment decisions by companies in consultation with Regional & district health administration & energy sector • By focussing on sector level, will allow for identification of cumulative impacts not normally addressed by project level activities • Will help to reverse the resource curse witnessed by sister countries who may not have taken cognizance of health and related issues adequately in planning oil and gas developments

8. Thank you Dr Edith Clarke Programme Manager Occupational and Environmental Health Ghana Health Service Ministry of Health

9. HIA team