420,000 die annually of contaminated food, 600 million fall ill - Minister – Newstrends
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420,000 die annually of contaminated food, 600 million fall ill – Minister

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Dr. Osagie Ehanire

Health Minister, Dr Osagie Ehanire, has said that every year, nearly one in every ten people in the world, an estimated 600 million people fall ill and 420,000 others die after eating food contaminated by bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances such as heavy metals.

Ehanire disclosed this during an event to mark 2022 World Food Safety Day, adding, over 200 diseases are caused by eating contaminated food.

According to him, food, if not safe, is not food. Food is a health product and the first component of basic health care delivery. The slogan for World Food Safety Day is “Food Safety is Every One’s Business and is a reminder that we all play a role in keeping food safe. This calls for prioritization of food safety throughout the d supply chain, from farm to table.”

He also said, “Children under the age of five are at higher risk of malnutrition and mortality due to unsafe food and they carry 40% of food borne disease burden. Unsafe food causes one in six deaths from diarrhea, a major killer in this age group. World Food Safety Day is a unique opportunity to raise awareness about the dangers of unsafe food with governments, producers, handlers and consumers having a role to play in making food safe.”

The Minister noted that unsafe food hinted that World Food Safety Day is a unique opportunity to raise awareness about the dangers of unsafe food with governments, producers, handlers and consumers having a role to play in making food safe.

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“Unsafe food hinders development especially on low- and middle-income economies, which lose around US$ 95 billion in productivity associated with illness, disability, and premature death suffered by workers (farmers, processors, handlers and marketers and consumers).

“This is standing in accord with World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the National Food Safety Management Committee (NFSMC) and the global Food Safety Community with the aim to draw attention and inspire action that prevents, detect and manage food borne risks that guarantee safer food for better health.

“In line with this year’s theme “Safer food, better health” emphasizes that all are consumers and food safety counts first for better health. Safe food is essential to human health and well-being. Only when food is safe can we fully benefit from its nutritional value and from the mental and social benefits of sharing a safe meal.

“Safe food is one of the most critical guarantors for good health. Unsafe foods are the cause of many diseases and contribute to other poor health conditions, such as impaired growth and development.

“The good news is that most food borne diseases are preventable. Our behaviour, the way we build food systems and how we organize food supply chains can prevent infectious and toxic hazards, microbial pathogens (bacteria, viruses and parasites), chemical residues, biotoxins and other noxious or dangerous substances from getting into our plates. We need to transform food systems to deliver better health, and we need to do so in a sustainable manner.

“Food systems policy-makers, practitioners and investors should reorient their activities to increase the sustainable production and consumption of safe foods in order to improve health outcomes, to make safe and healthy diets”, he stated.

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Artificial sweeteners found in bread, other food can damage kidney, experts warn

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Artificial sweeteners in bread, other food can damage kidney, experts warn

Experts have expressed worry over increased consumption of artificial sweeteners found in bread, pastries and biscuits.

A report by The PUNCH says these are now being used by bakeries and food processing companies in place of sugar, which experts note as posing serious health risks to the people.

They also cautioned against using artificial sweeteners for weight loss or to reduce the ‘risk of noncommunicable diseases’.

They warned that long-term use could cause diabetes, heart-related issues and kidney problems.

According to the recent guidelines on Non-Sugar Sweeteners, the World Health Organisation warned against the use of NSS to control body weight or reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases, insisting that NSS are not essential dietary factors and have no nutritional value.

The WHO urged people to reduce the sweetness of the diet altogether and should start early in life to improve their health.

It noted that the recommendation is based on the findings of a systematic review which suggests that the use of NSS does not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children.

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The report quotes Director for Nutrition and Food Safety, WHO, Francesco Branca, as saying, “Replacing free sugars with NSS does not help with weight control in the long term. People need to consider other ways to reduce free sugar intake, such as consuming food with naturally occurring sugars, like fruit, or unsweetened food and beverages.

“NSS are not essential dietary factors and have no nutritional value. People should reduce the sweetness of the diet altogether, starting early in life, to improve their health.

“The recommendation applies to all people except individuals with pre-existing diabetes and includes all synthetic and naturally occurring or modified non-nutritive sweeteners that are not classified as sugars found in manufactured foods and beverages, or sold on their own to be added to foods and beverages by consumers.”

The WHO listed non-sugar sweeteners as acesulfame K, saccharin, aspartame, advantame, cyclamates, neotame, sucralose, stevia and stevia derivatives, saying that long-term consumption of these may be harmful to health.

“The recommendation does not apply to personal care and hygiene products containing NSS, such as toothpaste, skin cream, and medications, or to low-calorie sugars and sugar alcohols (polyols), which are sugars or sugar derivatives containing calories and are therefore not considered NSS,” it added.

A Nutritionist and Founder, Corlerns Foods Ltd, Awka, Anambra State, Obiora Chukwunulu, said the reason many people use NSS following the over 150 per cent increase in the cost of free sugar is because many sugar substitutes taste sweeter than sugar.

He said, “A very little quantity of this is needed to sweeten foods and drinks, yet it is cheaper.

“The quantity of sugar you will need to sweeten a 50-litre of dough will cost you a fortune but just a little quantity of saccharin, which will cost you less, will do justice to it. What N500 saccharin will do, N1,000 sugar will not do.”

Artificial sweeteners in bread, other food can damage kidney, experts warn

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Fresh diphtheria outbreak kills four in Kano

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Fresh diphtheria outbreak kills four in Kano

No fewer than four children have reportedly been killed in a fresh outbreak of diphtheria disease in villages in the Mingibir Local Government Area of Kano State.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by the local government’s Information Officer, Tasiu Yahaya Dadin-Duniya, and made available to a Kano-based radio station, Arewa Radio, 28 others have been hospitalized.

The statement read, “Four children have died of diphtheria, and 28 children have contracted the disease in Kwarkiya, Kuru, Kunya, and Minjibir Villages in Minjibir Local Government Area of the state.

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“The Interim Management Officer of the local government, Muhammad Yakubu Kunya, has called on the authorities and stakeholders to immediately reach out to the Minjibir local government to protect the health of the communities.”.

According to the statement, the district head of the local government has requested traditional rulers and Islamic experts in the area to enlighten the people and pray for relief.

When contacted, Ibrahim Abdullahi, the State Ministry of Health’s Public Relations Officer, stated that the report had been passed to the State Director of Public Health, who has yet to confirm or deny the outbreak.

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Kwara govt to begin HPV vaccine in secondary schools to stop cervical cancer

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HPV Vaccine administered in secondary schools

Kwara govt to begin HPV vaccine in secondary schools to stop cervical cancer

The Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo-Kawu, disclosed this on Tuesday in Ilorin when the Advocacy Team from the Kwara Primary Health Care Development Agency paid her a courtesy visit.

Modibbo-Kawu said that the ministry would do everything possible to ensure the success of the vaccination in the state, adding that every organisation and relevant stakeholders would be consulted.

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She expressed optimism that the programme would be given adequate priority while urging members of the team to abide by laid down principles guiding their work during the exercise and making the state the best.

Earlier, Dr Michael Oguntoye, the Team Leader and Director, Primary Health Care System, disclosed that the purpose of the visit was to inform the ministry of the forthcoming vaccination. He commended the state government for efforts toward bringing healthcare delivery to the doorsteps of the people at affordable rates.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the HPV vaccine is to protect girls between the ages of nine and 14 from cervical cancer before any exposure to the virus.

Kwara govt to begin HPV vaccine in secondary schools to stop cervical cancer

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