The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) says the operations of a food joint, Yellow Sisi, have been suspended following the outbreak of a foodborne disease which affected over 50 people.
They would only be allowed to operate when measures have been put in place to ensure that their activities are brought into compliance to prevent future occurrence, the Authority said in a statement.
The food joint is located at Oyibi in the Adenta Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.
Earlier reports suggested that five persons died in the incident, but FDA said it can confirmed only one death.
“Investigations revealed that a total of fifty-three (53) people experienced symptoms of foodborne disease after consuming waakye or plain rice and tomato stew from a food vendor called Yellow Sisi located at Bush Canteen, a suburb of Oyibi. So far one (1) person has been reported dead, but the exact cause of death is yet to be confirmed.”
According to the Authority, it received notification through its Food Safety Alert System on Sunday, 22nd January 2023, on the suspected foodborne disease.
In line with the Food Safety Emergency Response Plan, FDA said in a statement released on Friday that, a joint investigation with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) started immediately.
Further, it said environmental assessment of the food preparation site located at Malejor and three other vending sites at Bush Canteen, Prison Joint and Sharp Curve Joint “revealed poor food handling practices which could have resulted in the contamination of the food, leading to the foodborne disease outbreak.”
It noted that the FDA launched its Street Food Vending Scheme in November 2021, in conjunction with the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies. The Scheme, which was developed under the FAO Healthy Street Food Incentive Project, aims at issuing compliant vendors with a Street Food Vending Permit.
“Consumers must therefore insist on seeing these permits in their favorite eateries before patronizing their services. We strongly urge street food vendors to apply for the Permit,” FDA admonished.