geographical context of the project.
“What makes this project
Tim Livesey is Barrick’s Project
They look in detail at a whole range of
special is that Barrick wants to
Director. “This is the least developed
factors that affect the health of the province in Pakistan with not much
population, with a particular focus on
address the root causes of ill-
existing infrastructure”, he explains.
those who may be more vulnerable in
health, and keep the dialogue
“It’s basically a fly-in/fly-out operation
terms of age, gender, ethnic background
with the community going.”
set in extensive high dry desert which
and socio-economic status. Data is can bring extremes of temperature and
gathered by assessing published sources where we often see spectacular
as well as interviews with community Group Medical Director at International sandstorms.” There is already a small
stakeholders. SOS. “No other company has the community living close to the project.
capability both to carry out an But as the largest mining operation in
“We then write a report that identifies assessment and then deliver the the area, it’s likely to attract settlers and
the potential impacts of the project on solutions.” a larger community could develop.
the health of the local community”, says
Francesca. “We make recommendations International SOS is working on a Sustainable future
on what the company could do to number of high-impact projects with Through the joint venture, Barrick
minimize the negative, and maximize defined community health outcomes. commissioned International SOS to
the positive impacts.” These can then “We can help our clients to measure and carry out a health impact assessment for
lead to community health initiatives articulate the value of these projects to the Reko-Diq project. “I’ve only been in
sponsored by the company, such as their internal and external stakeholders”, Pakistan since 2006, but before that I’d
malaria control programs, vaccination says Francesca. had extensive experience in Africa and
programs, or education and training so I understand public health issues
initiatives. Industry leader there”, says Tim. “Around Reko-Diq we
Take Barrick Gold Corporation – the knew there were respiratory diseases,
While most of these reports are internal gold industry leader with a portfolio of gastro diseases, kidney infections and
documents, their content can be 26 operating mines and development eye infections, so there’s already a
disseminated outside the company. projects located across five continents. spread of operational risk. We wanted
“Some clients also want a summary to Barrick, headquartered in Toronto, to get a better understanding of the
give to stakeholders to demonstrate how Canada holds the largest gold reserves typical problems in the community so
they intend to meet their corporate in the industry and large land positions that we can start to address them in
responsibilities”, says Francesca. on some of the world’s most prospective the longer term.”
mineral trends.
Powerful combination Tim points out that for relatively low
International SOS’ clients are showing In the province of Baluchistan on investment, significant improvements
increasing interest in health impact the border between Pakistan and can be made, for example by tackling
assessments, particularly because Afghanistan, Barrick has a joint venture the main diseases. “While there’s
International SOS teams can also go on with mining company Antofagasta to altruism in this approach, there’s also
to deliver the solutions. “Identifying operate the Reko-Diq project through the a hard business case for building a
health issues, making recommendations Tethyan Copper Company. Currently at sustainable future”, he says. “This is a
for solving them and then being able to the feasibility stage, the project is based 50-year project and we need to take care
take action is a very powerful in an extremely remote and sparsely of our future employees, so we want to
combination”, says Dr Myles Neri, populated part of south-west Pakistan. look at everything starting with the
12 InternatIonal sos
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