How Safe Is Your Buka?

Many Nigerians especially those who live in the big towns and the cities eat in a variety of places called by all kinds of names. The names range from buka to bukateria, mama-put, eatery, fast food joint and so on. The summary is that such places are places where people can eat and do so at affordable rates. The reasons are multiple, however. For some, it is because they leave home so early that they are unable to even think about breakfast. For some other people, the sheer weight of economics has forced them to tailor their feeding habits in line with their earning power so that there are various formulae for survival. This has seen an evolution of various codes for this reality. It may be one meal per day or two per day but that is not what this article is concerned with. What we are here for is to evaluate whether such places are safe enough to eat in or not. Many places for eating are road-side bukas. These are shacks of various types which may be made of corrugated tin or wooden planks or even an open air affair with no cover other than an umbrella. Often, these places lacking in any formal structure have of necessity to be located in places where they are unobtrusive. They are thus perched on the edge of some open spaces, located close to open drains or toilets or mechanic workshops or even within the markets. The most common neighbours of these spots are brackish water, stagnant pools and fetid water. Flies are a common companion. The scarcity of clean water or the difficulty of getting enough volumes of it ensures that what is available is recycled such that one container of water contains the soap that will wash all the dishes no matter how many times they have to be washed. After the first few plates, that water is dirty but continues to be used for all the remaining dishes until the close of business. ADVERTISEMENT In the same way, another container holds the supposedly cleaner water used for rinsing the washed plates. It is then used to rinse all the washed plates from the time business begins till it ends. So the soapy water in plastic bucket A is used to wash all the dishes used by everybody while the “clean water” in bucket B is used to rinse all the plates used together with the relevant cutlery. Many of the people who eat in such places will probably not accept such a scenario in their homes. It is possible that they have never paused to think what may be wrong with their exposure to diseases. Sometimes, these joints are arranged haphazardly around some logs of wood that may have been used at the makeshift kitchen. The visitors to those places of eating often look happy, if harassed, because of the need to eat quickly and move on. They seemingly have no time to take a stock of their surroundings. Flies are a constant companion but so are diseases. Some of the common diseases that could be contracted in this sort of environment are as follow: Salmonella: This is one of the common tropical diseases that exist in close relationship to poor sanitation and poverty. It is the organism responsible for typhoid fever, also called enteric fever and is found in poultry products, particularly chicken and eggs. Faeces from animals and other people is an important source of the bacteria which cause these illnesses. Proper dish-washing techniques help to reduce or eliminate them. The availability of clean, potable water is indispensable to preventing this disease. Infection with this organism leads to headaches, malaise, abdominal cramps and vomiting. There could also be associated constipation in the early stage of the disease followed by diarrhoea. Fever and severe headaches are other features of the disease. Escherichia coli: This is another organism commonly found in the faeces of both man and animals. It is responsible for a variety of infections commonly in the intestinal tract where its presence leads to diarrhoea often associated with abdominal cramps and vomiting. It can lead to rapid dehydration of its victims without adequate treatment. Norovirus: This commonly manifests with abdominal pain and diarrhoea and is found in situations where you have a lot of people living in close proximity. This is a viral infection essentially spread through food and often from one person to another after the initial infection is established. It is a disease condition seen in dormitories, in labourers’ camps and aboard ships such as cruise liners. Other viruses: This group includes the adenoviruses which commonly spread respiratory tract infections that are deadly in the extremes of life. Small children and the very elderly are particularly at risk of suffering these infections and they are spread most notoriously by way of improperly washed hands and dishes. This is especially true when such sufferers discard their sputum or mucus in the open air close to where food is being cooked and served. Campylobacter: These are bacteria that cause diarrhoeal diseases. There are associated abdominal cramps, fever and vomiting. There may also be nausea. Sometimes, the diarrhoea is accompanied with blood stains. It is commonly found in exposed meat especially chicken and is thus spread from one person to another when they have the bacteria in their unwashed hands or in their dishes. Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA): This is a bacterial infection that is spread by touching. It is easily passed from one person to another and is a feared complication for any hospital patient because it is so difficult to treat. Many people touch their eyes, nose, nostrils and even their mouth without being conscious of the act and can then pass it on into food by way of unclean dishes. Those parts of the body contain millions of Staphylococcus aureus that essentially live in a mutually beneficial relationship with their human hosts but will cause an infection if the nature of that relationship is altered. If they get into the blood stream for example, they can cause potentially fatal disease. Influenza (Flu): This is another disease condition caused by various influenza viruses. It is commonly a mild disease that could last for several days or weeks but may sometimes be severe enough to warrant hospitalisation. This virus is spread by hand and is made so when bare hands handle pieces of clothing, towels, cooking utensils and handkerchiefs used by a sufferer and is thus able to pass it on to others when those hands or dishes have not been washed properly. Impetigo: This is a severe skin infection often seen in children. It forms blisters large and small and resembles burns. It is caused by both Streptococci and Staphylococci. It often resolves with antibiotic treatment but is liable to cause severe illness in children and adults that are in a state of diminished immunity. This infection is rapidly spread by unwashed hands carrying the bacteria from one child to another. At many of these food joints, small children are often in the vicinity and the hands of the food provider works frequently from child to pot and vice versa. Hepatitis A: This viral disease is spread to humans from contaminated food. It causes mostly mild disease. Sometimes this is severe with jaundice, weakness, anorexia, malaise and vomiting. It is a highly contagious liver infection caused when someone who fails to wash their hands properly after using the toilet somehow takes the virus into his mouth through his contaminated hands or plate and swallows it. Shigellosis: This is also a bacterial infection caused similarly to Hepatitis A as above. It causes a violent, bloody diarrhoea that leaves its victims very weak and very quickly in need of aggressive medical attention. It is highly contagious and is often spread to several people by one contaminated person. A buka such as the ones described above would be an ideal place to set off a troubling outbreak of disease. Ask the doctor Dear doctor, I am having an abnormal growth near my vagina. I thought it was a boil but now it has refused to go. What do I do to get rid of it before it grows bigger? 081516xxxxx You have to see a doctor so that he can examine you and determine what it can possibly be. Only then will you be able to have the proper treatment. Dear doctor, if a woman has a blocked tube, would she still be able to put to bed at 49 years old? I am worried. Can it be corrected without an operation? 080745xxxxx At 49 years, that would seem to be an impossible task. You will definitely need an operation to correct the problem but that is not relevant if all you need is to get pregnant and deliver safely. You are a candidate for an assisted reproduction technique and a healthy tube is not necessary for you to be able to achieve that. See a fertility expert for further education about what options are available to you. Dear doctor, I have something protruding from my anus anytime I have hard faeces. How can I push it inside? I am 50 years old. It was caused by menopause. 080524xxxxx Your theory about the probable cause of the thing that protrudes from your anus is very curious. Menopause cannot cause what you are experiencing. It is simply not possible. Now depending on what it is, you may or you may not be able to push it in. See a doctor today for a proper examination and further directions about what it could be and what must be done. It is usually not a priority to be able to push it back inside. Dear doctor, I read about the 8-year-old that you saved her life and I am highly impressed. Your entire family will continue to enjoy God’s mercy and favour everywhere they go. You are really helping a lot sir. Thanks. 081570xxxxx Thank you very much for your prayers. I will say amen to that and add that it is a pleasure to be able to contribute what I can to the wellbeing of my fellow citizens. Dear doctor, is it true that women should not clean up with tissue paper after urinating because it causes infection that will lead to cancer? If yes, how are we to clean up if we don’t have immediate access to water? It can be highly irritating if one has to pile up little drops of urine till you get home at night. Also can eating beans almost every day have any adverse effect? Thank you. 081570xxxxx This is a great piece of disinformation. An infection in the genital area cannot lead to cancer. The art of cleaning up with tissue paper can also not lead to an infection if it is merely used to dab after urinating. What is not encouraged is to dip the piece of tissue paper into the vagina and I doubt that anybody does this because it will leave bits of tissue paper within the vagina. Please clean up as you have been doing. It won’t cause you a problem. And if you can afford it, the use of wipes is even better. The eating of beans even on a daily basis cannot cause you any problem. It is a rich plant protein and its effect on the body if any, should be similar to eating bread every day. You have nothing here to worry about. Dear doctor, please I need information on prolapse in women. Is it common, normal or rare? I have three children. I noticed the prolapse after my first delivery. I had all deliveries through induced contraction (labour). Now I have to be pushing it in for it is always bulging out but it causes no pain. What do I do please? 080352xxxxx It is not a common occurrence. It occurs mostly when a delivery has been unsupervised or poorly supervised. It occurs more often in those who have had four or more deliveries. There are different stages of the problem and as your own explanation indicates, it is likely to be in the latter stages (three or four). You need to see a gynaecologist who will examine you properly and advise you about what treatment options are available to you. If you have stopped having children, it should be so much easier to get you a permanent solution. Dear doctor, I am a 45-year-old man. After a series of tests, I was diagnosed with cervical spondylosis. I am still having the pain in my chest. I was given anti-inflammatory medications and asked to use a neck brace. What can I use again to stop the pain? Secondly, I am always having stress and it’s affecting my health. What can I use drug-wise and diet-wise? I am worried. 081886xxxxx If you have used anti-inflammatory drugs and a cervical collar with no improvement so far, what you need to do is to see your doctor for a re-assessment. Ideally, you ought to be seeing a spinal surgeon or an orthopaedic surgeon. It is important for you to know that most times, this condition deteriorates even with the kind of medication you have taken. You probably need to have an MRI scan of your cervical spine done to help determine if some unusual development is responsible for the damage that has occurred. Only with the aid of such specialised investigations can an accurate assessment of your problem be made. Dear doctor, thank you for the good work. Two months ago, I ran a cholesterol test and it was found to be high. I was placed on Atorvastatin 10mg daily. I discovered erectile dysfunction with this drug so I discontinued. Will my erection come back to normal without the use of drugs? Or which drug can I use to bring it to normal? 080580xxxxx Such events when they occur are usually reversible. You have no need to use any medications for that purpose but it is even more important to ensure your cholesterol level has returned to normal. So you must see your doctor for further advice rather than take an uninformed decision such as seems here to be the case. Dear doctor, my mother was diagnosed of having a stroke and was therefore asked to do an MRI scan. Please might this scan have any adverse effect on her? She is 60 years old. Also, I am 29 years old, married with three children. I take a cup of green tea every day. Please what is your expert opinion? Am I on the right track health-wise? 080549xxxxx It is unlikely that an MRI scan will harm your mother. These machines are quite safe and are important tools in making some difficult diagnoses. It should do her no harm. As for you, the habit of tea drinking whether it is green tea or otherwise is not a harmful habit. Green tea is part of the normal diet in much of Asia and is even seen as being more beneficial to the health than the standard tea we consume which has some caffeine, and is thus viewed as a stimulant. Source:punch