Wisdom Aditse, Head of the Tema Metropolitan Environmental Health Department, has cautioned the public against purchasing and consuming food exposed to contamination.

Mr Aditse urged residents to be more vigilant about where and how their food is prepared and sold, noting that many food vendors continue to disregard basic hygiene standards, putting the health of consumers at risk.

He offered the advice during a sensitisation programme for stakeholders on the Mpox, and cholera outbreaks organised by the Tema Metro Health Directorate. 

He explained that while some food vendors try to maintain hygiene, a significant number fail to follow the rules and regulations set by the Environmental Health Department, which has made law enforcement challenging. 

He said the department regularly inspects food vending sites in Tema, especially in areas with heavy foot traffic such as markets, lorry stations, and busy street corners, adding, however, that due to limited resources and non-compliance from vendors, it remains difficult to ensure full adherence to the standards.

Mr Aditse also expressed concern about the rising number of reported food-borne illnesses, such as food poisoning and diarrhoea, saying that these issues could be traced back to unsafe food practices and poor hygiene.

According to him, protecting public health requires cooperation from both food vendors and consumers, encouraging consumers to speak up and report vendors who operate in unhygienic conditions or sell food that appears unsafe.

He reiterated his outfit’s commitment to ensuring that all food sold to the public was safe and hygienic and stressed that collective responsibility and awareness were key to reducing food-related health risks in the community.

 He hinted that consumers should observe the cleanliness of the area and check where the food was being prepared, its covering, and how it was being handled before purchasing, adding that steps were being taken to intensify public education to find solutions to the challenges.