Mrs Rumanatu Abdulmalik, a Dietitian with Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) Kano, has urged Nigerians to be careful in patronising food vendors that sell around refuse dumps.
Abdulmalik on Sunday in Abuja stated that a person who patronises food vendors could get infected with food poisoning or food contamination by pathogenic organisms.
She said that lack of proper food hygiene would lead to food toxicities from the microorganisms present in water, air and on the hands, leading to health implications.
“It could lead to blood infection caused by a life of microorganisms, dysentery, typhoid fever, malnutrition and more chronic diseases like acute kidney infection, hepatitis known as liver infection and other diseases,” she said.
Abdulmalik said not all food vendors knew how to process food to prevent nutrient loss that could lead to undernutrition.
ALSO READ: Tragedy strikes as 174 die, 180 injured in Indonesia stadium riot, stampede
“Ministry of Health and other stakeholders should conduct a health education sensitisation on food vendors, the buyers and the general public on the need to eat in a clean and healthy environment,” Abdulmalik said.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel Ahanna, a bachelor in Gwagwalada, FCT said he patronised a woman selling food close to a refuse dump.
Ahanna said he had been in Abuja for four years and had been eating from a particular food vendor in a roadside park because she made good and affordable meals.
“I do not really notice the environment when I go to eat. The lady makes nice food and that is why I always go there to patronise her. I am used to eating there so I don’t think it will cause any harm to my system,” he said.
ALSO READ: Buhari to confer national honours on Abba Kyari, Burna Boy, 435 others
Miss Hannah Edwin, a food vendor in Dei-Dei said she takes good precaution in preparing the food she sells, so as not to cause health problems for her customers.
“Where I was selling before had a gutter close to me, it not only made me have a low rate of customers but I lost a lot of my customers because of it.
“Some people have no issue with eating or selling food besides refuse dumps or gutters because they are used to it but they are not aware of the harm they are causing to themselves,” she said.
Mr Chisom Ugwuanyi, a businessman in Suleja, said that he patronised food vendors because it saved a bachelor like him from spending too much making a meal or buying from a restaurant.
He said at some point, he stopped buying from food vendors when he had an experience where a food vendor was making and selling food close to a public toilet.
Susan Otegiri, a food vendor in Gwagwalada, said that she knew food should be hygienic, and that’s why she kept her environment clean.