A day’s workshop has been organised by Pro-Image Communications Consult, Ghana’s most acclaimed social mobilisation and communications agency for chop bar operators in Cape Coast and its environs to reduce the increasing rate of food related diseases and deaths in the country.
The workshop which was sponsored by the Ministry of Health with support from stakeholders such as the Ghana Tourists Board, Food and Drugs Board, Environmental health and sanitation as well as the Ministry of Local Government was aimed at reducing the disease burden and death rates in the country.
Speaking at the function, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pro-Image, Mr Nathaniel Ebo Nsarko said the workshop has become necessary due to the concerns over the soaring rate of infant and adult mortality as a result of non-communicable diseases and the level of health illiteracy.
According to him, the programme which is the first of its kind will help yield the maximum results required to increase the life span of the average Ghanaian who die at an early age due to food poisoning.
Mr Nsarko noted that the time to take action against unhygienic practices in the country is now since a recent publication by a United Nations Agency for Environment classified Ghana as the second filthiest country in the world.
He again noted that a recent health review by the health sector has revealed that adult mortality as a result of non-communicable diseases has risen to 30% hence the need for environmental health and sanitation, food safety, disease prevention and healthy lifestyles to be inculcated in the populace to reduce the trend.
The CEO stated that although chop bar operators serve over 85% of the Ghanaian populace including tourists, they have received very little attention in terms of capacity building over the years.
He bemoaned the rate at which chop bar operators who used to prepare indigenous Ghanaian food which were very traditional and nutritious are copying western food by adding all sorts of spices to the food which are dangerous for human health.
He observed that the sanitation conditions, under which some food items are purchased, prepared and sold to the public are very appalling and called on the appropriate authorities to stop paying lip service to the disease burden in the country and take action.
He expressed the hope that the stakeholders and sector players would join hands with his outfit and the ministry of health to come out with strategies to effectively train chop bar operators across the nation to help prevent diseases.
The Cape Coast Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Anthony Egyir Aikins advised the chop bar operators to observe proper hygiene and dress neatly in order to boost tourism in the area since tourists also patronise their food.
He entreated the operators to seek permits before operating and warned that the assembly will not spare anyone who is caught operating without a proper license or certificate.
He warned opinion and political leaders who are fond of pleading on behalf of defaulters to desist from it as the assembly will not pardon anyone, adding that their actions will give room for others to commit similar offences.
Certificates of participation were awarded to the chop bar operators after the training.
STORY: FROM MAGDALENE SEY, CAPE COAST
