The Consumer Advocacy for Food Safety and Nutrition Initiative (CAFSANI) has created a pocket guide to food safety and nutrition for consumers.
The guide, currently available in English, will soon be translated into major Nigerian languages.
CAFSANI president, Prof Olugbenga Ogunmoyela, lamented that the recent cholera outbreak has focused on treatment rather than prevention, which is crucial to avoiding environmental contamination of food and water.
Cholera is a bacterial infection causing diarrhea, dehydration, and potentially death if left untreated.
According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, 1,141 suspected and 65 confirmed cases with 30 deaths were recorded across 30 states from January 1 to June 11, 2024.
Ogunmoyela emphasized that people living in areas with unsafe drinking water, poor sanitation, and inadequate hygiene are at highest risk.
He stressed that cholera can be prevented by ensuring access to safe drinking water, proper sanitation, waste disposal, and good hygiene practices, including handwashing.
Speaking on the preventive measures, the food scientist stated, “Overall, cholera can be prevented through ensuring access to safe, potable drinking water; proper sanitation and waste disposal; and appropriate hygiene including handwashing.
“To reduce the risk of cholera, the NCDC has advised the public to ‘ensure that water is boiled and stored in a clean and covered container before drinking, practice good personal hand hygiene by washing your hands frequently with soap under clean running water.
“Use of alcohol-based hand sanitisers is essential if soap and clean water are not available. In addition, we must ensure that food is well-cooked before consumption. Given their low level of awareness, it is often alarming that raw foods such as fruits and vegetables are washed in stagnant waters. Therefore, the consumer must be informed to take such foods only after soaking and washing thoroughly with safe potable water.”
He warned against the dangers of open defecation and indiscriminate waste disposal, encouraging residents to prioritize proper waste management and regular sewage evacuation.
Additionally, he reminded healthcare workers to follow the NCDC’s guidelines, including wearing gloves when interacting with patients or providing care to ensure their safety and prevent the spread of infection.
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