Hundreds of thousands in desperate need of food, medicine as protest persists

Citizens of rural municipalities across Antioquia and Cordoba in Bogota, Colombia are experiencing an unprecedented shortage of food and medicine. Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM) Physician Dr. Eli J. Hurowitz discusses the unique factors immediately impacting the area:

After having their machinery destroyed by authorities, an illegal gold mining operation set up a protest in Bogota, Colombia.  In response to the destruction, the gold miners are blocking roads across 12 rural municipalities.  The protests along the country roads are making travel, as well as delivery of critical resources, impossible.  At present, this is causing a major emergency for everyone in the local area, as food and medicine are now becoming scarce.  Not only is this an immediate environmental crisis, but it is directly related to an already ever-present environmental endangerment going on in Colombia right now.  

Illegal gold and other precious metal mining operations in Colombia and other countries throughout Southern America are causing major environmental disasters.  Dr. Eli J. Hurowitz is deeply concerned about the mercury contamination in local rivers, which has resulted from these mining operations.  The air and water contamination is a long term issue, in Dr. Hurowitz’s perspective.  Both the current and future inhabitants of the area will be impacted by lasting contamination in water sources and farm lands.