Arrest spate of food poisoning

Food does more than address hunger for many human beings. It is one of the necessities of life that equip the human body with the needed nutrients and strengths, as well as other substances that are essential for growth and general well-being. Food should therefore sustain life; not end it.

In recent weeks, however, several deaths in various parts of the country have been reported from suspected food poisoning. This paper, in its edition of August 21, 2024, reported about 43 deaths in two weeks. A follow-up later showed that no fewer than 50 deaths were recorded, starting with the deaths of a mother and her four children at the Abubor Nnewichi community, in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State. They all died after consuming a cassava meal on July 29. It was followed by another incident in the Eruda community of Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State, where a 70-year-old woman, her 34-year-old son, and two grandchildren died shortly after eating a yam flour meal (amala) on August 6.

Another incident was reported in the Anyoke community in Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State where six members of a household also died after consuming a cassava-based meal. Deaths of seven people were also reported at the Egba community in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State after consuming pap within this month. A family of six in the Gidinye community in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State also died in a suspected case of food poisoning on August 6.

Cassava delicacy also led to the deaths of seven members of a family at the Runji Barmo village, Kajiji district of Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State on August 7. One person was reported to have died and six others hospitalised after eating cassava at Madaki Quarters in the Gombe metropolis some weeks ago.

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It was a pathetic story of a mother who used expired cassava flour to prepare a local delicacy called ‘Danwake’ for her orphaned children, and all died from the complications in the Karkari village of Gwarzo Local Government Area of Kano State on August 15.

Similar cases were also reported in Sokoto and Kwara states.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that, “Unsafe food causes 600 million cases of foodborne diseases and 420,000 deaths.  Thirty per cent of foodborne deaths occur among children under five years. WHO estimated that 33 million years of healthy lives are lost due to eating unsafe food globally each year, and this number is likely an underestimation.” The Consumer Advocacy for Food Safety and Nutrition Initiative, an established non-governmental organisation with headquarters in Lagos, estimates that 173 million cases of foodborne illnesses occur in Nigeria, resulting in 33,000 deaths annually.

From all indications, the issue should be of serious concern to authorities and citizens, especially at this trying time when many Nigerians are struggling to feed.

It therefore calls for extra vigilance on the source and quality of our food, especially its storage and processing.

Nigerians must avoid buying cheap and expired food in order to cut costs. The regulatory agencies like the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) should put in extra efforts to protect the public from unscrupulous food vendors who want to make quick gains from unsuspecting public. They should collaborate with the public health officers at the local level to create public awareness on paying attention when buying food items.

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) should also be in the vanguard of orienting members of the public on the need to properly process all foods meant for consumption. Traditional rulers should also partake in enlightenment of their subjects to these dangers.

Daily Trust wishes to also urge grain dealers who are in the habit of using unapproved chemicals to preserve grains in their warehouses to desist from that. Government must enforce all relevant laws in order to avoid contaminated foods from getting to the markets.

But more importantly, Nigerians must maintain hygiene and safe means of storing food. Life-threatening diseases such as Lassa fever are being spread by rodents and geckos. We must never make our foods be the reason for our deaths.

We also call for thorough investigations into all cases and the prosecution of all those who might have played certain roles by omission or commission. This is necessary to serve as a deterrent to others.

We at Daily Trust commiserate with the families of all those who died in these tragic events.