FDB gives ultimatum to meat sellers to produce medical certificates

The Food and Drugs Board (FDB) has given a one- week ultimatum to Butchers, Khebab sellers and cold store operators in Wa to produce valid medical certificates or shut down their businesses.

Mr. Zakaria Braimah, the Wa Zonal Officer of the FDB, gave the ultimatum during a sensitization meeting with players in the meat industry in Wa on Tuesday.

He said the operations of unauthorised persons in the meat industry in the Wa Municipality greatly undermined public health and safety.

Mr. Braimah said the FDB which was mandated by law to control the manufacture, importation, use and advertisement of food, drugs, and cosmetics, household chemical devices to ensure their efficacy, wholesomeness and quality to safeguard public health would not compromise on its mandate.

The Zonal Officer called on the meat sellers to do away with the impression that the FDB was in the Region to spoil their businesses and urged them to ensure good storage and handling practices during and after the festive season.

He advised them to stop using motor bikes to transport meat but rather use the meat van provided by the Wa Municipal Assembly to do so adding, the FDB would intensify its monitoring activities during and after the festive season to ensure compliance.

Mr. Braimah, who also advised the meat sellers not to sell meat outside the meat shop, appealed to them to always dress neatly by wearing aprons and hand gloves to prevent the contamination of the meat.

He appealed to cold store operators to ensure that cold chain was not broken.

Mr. Rex Mumuni Jakpa, Upper West Regional Environmental Health Officer, appealed to the meat sellers to contact the Environmental Health Offices for introductory letters to undertake their mandatory medical examination.

He said they had already arranged with the Health authorities to carry out the medical examination for the meat sellers at a reasonable cost of GH¢8.00.

Source: GNA