Mzuzu residents asked to avoid ready foods

By Ireen Mseteka – Mana

Mzuzu City Council (MCC) Environmental Health Office has advised people in the city to refrain from buying ready foods from vendors to avert diseases such as cholera.

Speaking in an interview Friday, senior environmental health officer for Mzuzu City Council, Augustine Gama said ready foods such as cold chips, salads are not protected from contamination.

Gama said selling unhygienic food endangers public life and that anyone found will be prosecuted.

“Selling of unhygienic food to the public is equal to selling poison. This is an offence punishable by law,” he said.

He said chapter 34:01 of Malawi Public Health Act stipulates that food which is offered for public consumption must be prepared in certified premises and that preparing food for sale in open places is illegal.

He said the council is sensitizing people on risks of buying ready to eat foods through Health Surveillance Assistants (HAS).

“We want to improve the situation through community education using frontline staff,” he said.

Mzuzu City Council, public relations officer, MacDonald Gondwe, said his office is promoting a habit of eating hot food to safeguard people’s lives.

He advised the public to eat foods from facilities and entities which have operating licenses as they are inspected by the city council.  

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