Food and Drugs Board educates Wa market traders on food safety

The Food and Drugs Board (FDB) in the Upper West Region has advised consumers to exercise their ability to make a choice by refusing to purchase unwholesome food.

They should also say ‘no’ to food that appeared appetizing but had ample evidence of exposure and possible contamination.

Mr. Zakaria Braimah, Zonal Officer of the Board gave the advice on Monday when the FDB took its operations to the Wa Central Market to sensitize traders and cooked food sellers on food safety to mark World Food Day celebrations in the Municipality.

“Consumers must be careful about either the unhygienic environment, the level of personal hygiene of the vendor or exhibition of unhygienic behaviour when they go to buy food”, he warned.

He said the World Health Organisation had estimated that 1.8 million deaths occurred every year due to consumption of contaminated food and water, as well as to poor sanitation and unhygienic practices by food vendors.

Mr. Braimah pointed out that the recent outbreak of cholera and diarrhoea which struck some parts of the country was due to water and food contamination.

He said data collected from the public health directorate showed that a total of 3,268 cases were reported with 54 deaths between the months of September 2010 to March 2011.

Some of the traders who spoke to the Ghana News Agency, called for the enforcement of sanitation laws to save the people in the Region from unnecessary deaths.

“It is painful for one to use his or her money to buy sickness for oneself. Government would do us good if sanitation laws are strictly enforced to the letter”, one trader stated.

Source: GNA