Low life expectancy blamed on poor sanitation

Ho, July 19, GNA - Mr Kofi Essel, Head of the Food Management Unit of the Food and Drugs Board (FDB), on Thursday attributed the low life expectancy rate in the country to poor sanitation practices. He observed that the general food safety principles in the country were bad and that until the people changed their attitude to issues concerning their food and surroundings, they would continue to die young.

Mr Essel said this at a sensitisation workshop organized by the FDB for butchers and selected environmental officers from parts of the Volta Region in Ho.

Speaking on the topic: "Assurance of meat safety", Mr Essel said it was unfortunate that people continued to sell and buy meat on tables and said, "It is time we move away from that to mobile refrigerator display chambers".

He said though meat contained amino acids essential for human life and a major food component in human diet, it supported the growth of microorganisms whose presence made meat unsafe for consumption. Mr Essel said it was imperative that butchers and other people who processed meat were made to do their work diligently. He discarded the belief that food items including meat became safe for consumption after cooking and said the heat under which most foods were prepared could not stop contaminations.

Mr Essel expressed disappointment about the bad state of most of the country's abattoirs most of which lacked facilities such as potable water, refrigeration systems and places of convenience and advised metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to support abattoirs in their areas for mutual benefit.

"Metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies should ensure that our abattoirs are always in good condition and provide them with the necessary facilities including the provision of appropriate vehicles equipped to maintain chilled temperatures for our safety", he urged. Mr John Odame-Darkwah, Head of Industrial Support Services of the FDB said the Board would soon close down cold stores, which were operating under unsanitary conditions and get the operators prosecuted. He said it was wrong for cold stores to be sited near garbage dumps, public place of convenience or in any filthy environment and advised operators in such areas to relocate.

Mr Odame-Darkwah said all cold stores were required to register with the FDB to ensure easy monitoring and to safeguard public health and urged the operators to cooperate with the Board. 19 July 07