Global Communities, an NGO implementing the Water Access, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project of the USAID, in collaboration with the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly on Thursday screened food vendors operating in the area.

About 200 vendors were screened and educated on basic concepts in personal hygiene, food safety, housekeeping, and customer services.

Mr Ebenezer Kye-Mensah, Senior Capacity Building Specialist, Global Communities, said the vendors were also screened for typhoid and other contagious diseases.

He said the programme, which was instituted in 2009, is to serve as the Bahaviour Change Component of the WASH-Up programme.

He said the Global Communities in addition to the Assembly is also collaborating with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly.

The project seeks to train and screen food vendors in these communities as part of its Water Access, Sanitation and Hygiene for the Urban Poor (WASH-UP) project.

“We are also forming alliances with rural communities in the Volta, Central, Western and Northern Regions on the implementing of our WASH-Up programme for those in the rural areas,” he added.

Mrs Cynthia Abbey, Assistant Chief Environmental Health Assistant, of the Assembly, expressed appreciation to Global Communities for the partnership as it would help the community get certified food vendors who would provide services to the citizens.

She said food vendors who would test positive to any disease would be referred to the La General Hospital for the needed care.

She appealed to the project managers to organise the training and screening every six months instead of the annual ritual.

Madam Rosina Dogbor, a food vendor, appealed to her fellow vendors to endeavour to implement what they have been taught for their own wellbeing and that of their customers.