Sekondi, June 11, GNA - The Environmental Health Department of the Shama-Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly has began an exercise to screen cooked food vendors, sachet water sellers, butchers and drinking bar operators for communicable diseases.

Mr Michael Mensah, an Environmental Health Officer of the Assembly, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview at Sekondi on Monday that the diseases being screened for included tuberculosis, hepatitis A, B and C and typhoid fever.

Mr Mensah said blood samples; stool and saliva of the respondents were used for the screening.

He said the exercise has so far being held at Takoradi, Ntankoful and communities in the Sekondi sub-metropolitan area and most of the about 510 people screened had typhoid fever. Mr Mensah said the health certificates, which permitted the affected persons to sell food were withdrawn and they were asked to obtain medical treatment before they could undergo another medical screening in two weeks time to testify that they were fit. He said those who ignored this directive and continue to sell food would be prosecuted.

Mr Mensah said according to the bylaws of the Assembly, food vendors should be issued with health certificate before starting their trade.

He said the bylaws also require food vendors to carry out their businesses in sanitary environment. Mr Mensah said the exercise would be extended to cover night food vendors at the Accra Station and Zenith area in Takoradi, Kwesimintsim, Apremdo and Sekondi Sub-Metropolis.