Stringent measures against “Check Check” food handlers - AMA

Dr. Simpson Anim Boateng, Director of the Department

of Health of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has put in place stringent measures regulate the operations of fried rice food vendors, also called “Check Check” who sell near gutters, toilets and other filthy places in the metropolis.

This follows some reported cases of cholera outbreaks in Accra Metropolis resulting in the death of one of the victims.

Dr. Boateng, who made this known to the Ghana News Agency in an interview on Monday, said personnel of the Sub-Metro Public Health Taskforce have been ordered to arrest any such persons found selling, especially without a health certificate.

He said it is the responsibility of all food vendors to take sanitation and cleanliness to be part of and parcel of every day activities to minimize all these related diseases, hence the need for them to take proper food preservation seriously in homes and workplaces.

He said the ongoing screening exercise for food handlers in the markets in Accra would be pursued with renewed vigour while targets would be set and monitored to ensure that food for human consumption was not contaminated and did not produce health hazards.

Dr. Boateng warned of the dangers of selling or eating unwholesome food and advised food sellers to protect their wares against flies and dust to ensure healthy environment in Accra.

He said the exercise which was being undertaken by his outfit was in the best interest of the food handlers and the public to ensure that they observe basic personal and environmental hygiene, adding that, health officers would go round to assess the impact it had made on them.