Mrs. Rumanatu Abdulmalik, a Dietitian with Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) Kano, has urged Nigerians to be careful in patronizing food vendors that sell around refuse dump.

Abdulmalik told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja, that a person that patronized 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.

“Ministry of Health and other stakeholders should conduct a health education sensitization 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 patronized 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 patronize her. I am used to eating there so I don’t think it will cause any harm in my system,” he said.

Miss Hannah Edwin, a food vendor in Dei-Dei said she took good precaution of the food she sold with total hygiene and safety 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 beside 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 patronized food vendors because it saved a bachelor like him from spending too much from 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, that’s why she kept her environment clean. (NAN)

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