Public Hygiene; a Gambian Problem

 By Omar Bah, Accra, Ghana 

The rains cannot be far away now, making it timely and apt for a concerted effort to make public places salubrious and presentable. Our markets, car parks, garages, road sides, work places and residences should be made as spotless as possible. There is all to gain from cleanliness and all to lose from dirt.

Especially crucial as we approach the rains is the need to make food preparations much more hygienic; cooking, frying or roasting food by the wayside is one practice common here which needs to be discouraged, or made much more hygienic. As we start to harvest the summer crops such as maize, vegetables and melon, we expect an increase in such road side selling under insalubrious conditions. This should be a major cause for concern for health authorities.

The opportunity for cleaning our environment as posed by the ‘set settal campaign’ must not be missed and this is why all hands should be on deck to ensure a clean environment. The life we are saving by having clean surroundings may as well be our own life or that of a loved one.

Could it be that interest on the income they make is all they are concerned with, without thinking about the health of their patrons?

The time has come for Gambians to pay particular attention to the dangers posed by unhygienic conditions and work towards removing them for the general good. No one should wait for someone or government to come and clean their homes for them. It is our duty as citizens to make our homes cozy and clean so that we will be able to sleep in comfort. With so many health campaigns all over, in the media and in forums, people still seem to have turned a deaf ear to these urgent calls.

Once upon a time, there were Health Inspectors who checked the environments and circumstances surrounding food production and manufacturing for public consumption. Perhaps the time has come for these to be re-introduced into our communities to help curb the outbreak of such menaces as cholera.

A progressive nation should have a healthy citizenry and this can be achieved if the people change their attitude towards the way they care for their environment and more especially, the food they eat.

All Gambians should work towards promoting a clean and healthy environment.