Why is lung health so important for cocoa-farming communities?

Lung health is often an overlooked aspect of general well-being, but for cocoa farming families in rural Ghana, it’s a matter of growing concern. Long days spent working in the fields and around open fires expose these communities to a range of respiratory hazards that can seriously affect their health over time.

In rural cocoa-growing areas, daily exposure to smoke from firewood cooking, dust and mold from fermenting cocoa pods, fumes from fertilizers and pesticides, and biomass burning related to lang-clearing are all exposures which are risk factors for developing respiratory issues. Yet, many of these communities have extremely limited access to screening or diagnostic services for lung health, which would help to catch illness early. This means that preventable conditions like asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, and even early signs of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) often go undiagnosed and untreated.

What are the advantages of lung-screenings?

Proactive lung screenings don’t just help identify symptoms before they become severe, though. They can also offer insights into the prevalence of respiratory issues across communities, and facilitate timely referrals to more advanced healthcare facilities. Additionally, these screenings provide a valuable opportunity to educate individuals on how to reduce exposure to environmental risks and manage symptoms through behavioral changes and accessible medication.

What is Elucid doing?

Recognizing this, Elucid is implementing a lung screening program across our implementation sites in Ghana within our programs in partnership with Tony’s Chocolonely. These are not only to detect potential lung conditions early, but to empower families to protect their health by teaching them early warning signs to look out for. These screenings prioritize vulnerable groups, such as children, the elderly, and women – the latter of which are often exposed to harmful biomass fumes from cooking.

To ensure screenings are accessible to even the most remote areas, the program uses mobile clinics that bring diagnostic tools and healthcare professionals directly to cocoa farming communities. These mobile clinics are set up in familiar local settings, such as community centers or schools, allowing residents to receive care close to home. This approach increases participation, reduces travel barriers, and ensures screenings can be conducted efficiently and comfortably for large numbers of people. This approach not only boosts participation but also fosters trust and reduces the disruption such health interventions can cause.

What’s ahead?

Looking ahead, every cocoa farmer and their family in Tony’s supply chain in Ghana (that’s over 12,000 cocoa farmers and their families across six districts in Ghana!) will benefit from lung screenings between now and March 2026. These upcoming screenings will be conducted by trained health professionals and supported through local sensitization efforts to ensure that those most at risk are reached. To achieve this, we are partnering with partner health facilities – for example, the Suhum Government Hospital, and Kibi Government Hospital – to support the implementation of these mobile clinics, reaching Tony’s beneficiaries in their communities

By prioritizing early detection and bringing care directly to the heart of cocoa communities, these lung screenings are saving lives. And more than that: they’re building a healthier future for generations of Ghanaian farming families.