The National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intensified surveillance in restaurants and other eateries to ensure hygiene practices against cholera outbreaks in Sokoto State.
The agency’s state coordinator, Mr Garba Adamu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday that a team of officials had been detailed to ensure that stipulated sanitary regulations were adhered to by all food outlets.
Adamu explained that “the team, headed by NAFDAC’s Nutrition Officer, Mr Abubakar Aliyu, is to ensure that only safe, hygienic, and quality foods are being prepared and sold to consumers.”
He said that through routine inspection, food vendors were mandated to comply with the agency’s guidelines on good hygiene and sanitation practices.
According to him, the effort is to safeguard people’s health and prevent the spread of cholera, as cases are being recorded in some parts of the country.
The coordinator cautioned food vendors against using adulterated, counterfeit, unregistered, and expired items in cooking their meals, reiterating that NAFDAC would continue the enforcement to apprehend defaulters.
Adamu said the operation would be extended to local the operation would be extended to local government areas, border markets, and others as part of the agency’s efforts to ensure only hygienic foods are sold.
He called on the public to be wary of poorly prepared foods and report any unhygienic practices from any eatery to NAFDAC, reiterating the agency’s determination to safeguard the health of the nation. (NAN)