Aya completes health clinic near Zgounder mine, part of its ESG initiative in Morocco

Jackson Chen | June 9, 2022 | 10:38 am News Africa Silver 
Aya’s mobile clinic will improve health outcomes. Credit: Aya Gold & Silver

Aya Gold & Silver (TSX: AYA; OTC: AYASF) has completed its first mobile health clinic near the Zgounder silver mine in Morocco. This initiative is part of the 2022 ESG program launched by the company to support local communities. The objective of the health clinic is to improve the screening, treatment and outcomes of patients with diabetes and high blood pressure by establishing a case database that enables the regular follow-up of positive cases by local health services.

A total of 1,625 patients were screened over 12 days, more than 70% of which had high blood pressure. A total of 113 douars (small rural villages) covered with two ambulances have access to the clinic.

“This ESG initiative, which complements our recent renovation of the Askaoun health clinic benefiting 13,000 villagers, provided door-to-door registration and screening of patients living in remote areas within the various local communities,” Aya’s president and CEO Benoit La Salle said.

“We are integrating our own doctors and nurses and are strongly committed through continued funding to improving the social outcomes of all local communities,” he added. The company is planning to have three additional mobile health clinics this year.

The Zgounder mine is located in the central Anti-Atlas mountains, approximately 260 km east of the city of Agadir in Taroudant province. Aya currently holds an 85% interest in the underground mine, considered the second most important silver mine in Morocco, with a state-owned enterprise holding the remaining 15%.

Earlier this year, the company published a feasibility study for an expanded operation at Zgounder, which would increase the project’s nameplate capacity to 2,700 t/d from 700 t/d and quadruple its silver production to 6.8 million oz. Completion of the expansion is expected in 2024.

For more information on the Zgounder expansion project, visit www.AyaGoldSilver.com.

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