The Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Food at the Food and Drugs Board (FDB), Mr. Odame Darkwah, has cautioned Ghanaians to be very wary of where they purchase ready-to-eat food items in the wake of the prevailing cholera outbreak in the country.

17 people have so far died of the disease at the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital in Accra since the first case was reported in January this year.

A total of 636 cases of cholera have also been reported, with the fatality rate inching to 2.7 per cent.

Speaking with Emefa Apawu, the host of the Big Bite morning show on XFM 95.1, a privately owned commercial radio station in Accra, Mr. Odame Darkwah said, people should be very careful of ready-to-eat food items that are being sold on the streets, stressing, “please make sure you buy it under very hygienic conditions”.

Mr. Odame Darkwah is also warning Ghanaians to desist from buying sachet water from street hawkers since it is difficult to tell if these hawkers are observing basic healthy practices.

“Look at the people retailing sachet water; have you considered where they go to toilet, where they urinate, which water they use, how are they also serving the water? They use the same fingers to pick it, give it to you and then you start taking the water; you are at a very serious risk”.

He however, recommends that sachet water should be bought at places where they are neatly kept in iced-chests where the risk of it getting contaminated is very minimal.

The Deputy Executive in charge of Food at FDB says, “fresh fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly with potable running water and if possible sanitized before you use it. Avoid buying cut and packed fruits such as pawpaw, water melon that are carried on peoples head in the sun”.

To be safe from contacting the deadly disease, Mr Odame Darkwa says foods sold out should be hot.

He says “let us build a healthy nation so that Ghana can be a place where we can all be happy about… so let us eat well; eating well means the right food in the right environment devoid of filth and anything that can compromise the safety of the product.”