A total of 866 of the 933 food handlers from some schools in the Central Region tested positive to typhoid following a test conducted in 2010 by a private medical laboratory in Cape Coast on food handlers.

Mr. Albert Moses, Manager of TOPP Medical Laboratory who revealed this at a workshop on “hand washing and good hygiene practices” in Cape Coast on Wednesday, said there were a lot of unhygienic practices that contributed to the spread of some of these harmful organisms.

The workshop was jointly organized by the Cape Coast Metropolitan Education Directorate and TOPP Medical Laboratory, for matrons in second cycle institutions in the region to educate them on the need to observe good sanitary practices and hygiene in schools to stem the spread of food-borne diseases.

He said some of the unhygienic practices included wearing artificial nails as well as growing long nails as they could harbour disease-causing micro organisms.

Mr Moses appealed to school heads and matrons to ensure regular check-ups for their kitchen staff and suggested to medical laboratories in the region to join forces in eradicating food- borne diseases in the region.**