By Staff Writer, Dodoma
DODOMA-based butchers proprietors and servants have been challenged to adopt use of modern and recommended –healthier facilities for carrying meat in order to ensure for safety of the popular consumed culinary item.
Despite being the country’s capitals, harboring high-profile government officials and other dignitaries from various international organizations and traders, it has been unveiled that most of the butcher’s servants are entertaining unprofessional tendency of carrying meat in their shoulders, or sometimes heads, from the meat vans to their respective selling points.
The tendency, according to the relevant experts, puts the meat consumers at numerous health risks, and far above, it tarnish the good image of dispensation of the vital human health sector in the capital city.
The director of the Talibo Traders Company LTD Nyama Pori, Mr Nelson Talibo urged the Livestock Ministry to immediately take proper measures to improve the unwelcome situation.
“Carrying meat for human consumption in shoulders and heads doesn't reflect the recommended health principles and thus, it is incumbent for the responsible authorities to work on sober ways to end the weak tendency for the sake of the consumers,” he challenged.
Echoing more observations, Mr Talibo spoke over the need for the servants at all butchers to regularly go for health check-ups to prevent themselves from possible disease transmissions in order to also prospecting the larger population of meat consumers.
Together with that, he urged the butchers owners to improve sanitation in their services delivering points (butchers), including ensuring their workers are provided with the tailor-made uniforms and other necessary gears.
WEAKNESSES IN MEAT SECTOR IN TANZANIA
It appears that the meat sector in Tanzania, starting from cattle slaughtering, meat selling and preparations faces are number of shortfalls.
For instance, recommended standards pertaining to livestock slaughtering for human consumption (the Animal Disease Act (2003), directs that, all animals meant for public consumption supposed to be slaughtered at the regional abattoir, or any other available formal area which can allow examination for users’ safety.
But this has not been the case always with the meat sellers as there exists some of them who are selling the meat which has not been passed through any professional examination.
These, are those who are slaughtering the cattle in their homes and marketing it directs to the consumers, or sometimes to the owners of the public butchers.
Moreover, the relevant directives also directs that, the butchers must be equipped with a professional chiller room whereby after being slaughtered the meat is placed in the room for at least 24 hours in order to abide with the recommended standards before being released for consumption. This is also not the case among nearly at all butchers.
COMPLEXITY IN PORK SELLING
Call it whatever you wish, pork, swine, or the popular Kiswahili nickname of ‘Kitimoto’, but the meat is attracting thousands and hundreds of consumers, but unfortunately, it selling is gripped with a lot of uncertainty and possible health risks.
According to the high-profile veterinaries, pig meat comprises of high concentration of tape worms, and thus if consumed unchecked it may triggered to severe negative health impacts.
Consuming the meat with tape worms at certain cyst stage (cysticecus cellulose) is very dangerous as it can damage human brain system and thus, propels to serious mental illness.
But despite of such serious health precautions, it is very rare to find a certified pig slaughter house across the country’s regions and larger cities.
Fueling worse in the sector, the experts alerted that some of the pig meats are being marketed and slaughtered while under the drugs dozes.
“Principally, animals under drugs dozes must stay for at least 14 to 30 days to allow drugs residues before being slaughtered and consumed. Therefore, you can see how it is important for any meat to be inspected and certified before going into the consumption markets,” expressed of the experienced veterinary officer.
Coming to to zoonosis diseases, he added” “We can lose a lot of people if the relevant authority will remain inactive,”
Zoonosis are those diseases and infections naturally transmitted between people and vertebrate animals.
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