Sodiq Ojuroungbe Due to the indiscriminate and improper use of pesticides in food processing, public health and food safety, experts have called for robust policy measures to address the issue They stressed the critical role of government intervention in enforcing existing regulations and ensuring compliance with bans on the open sale of hazardous chemicals like sniper. Recently, a disturbing video surfaced on social media showing a trader using Sniper, a highly toxic pesticide, to preserve stockfish by applying it directly. The video created apprehension and sparked debates regarding the potential health risks associated with the misuse of such toxic chemicals.
Reacting to the video, public health physicians in an exclusive interview with PUNCH Healthwise said the highly toxic nature of the pesticide poses severe health risks to consumers, with potential adverse effects ranging from nausea and vomiting to long-term organ damage and even cancer. Emphasising the urgent need for decisive action to address this hazardous practice and prevent further endangerment of public health, the experts called for stricter enforcement of regulations governing the sale and use of pesticides like Sniper. A Consultant Public Health Physician at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Kwara State, Professor Tanimola Akande, warned that people who consume food items contaminated with harmful chemicals may experience symptoms ranging from respiratory distress to neurological disorders.
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