Health
By Anthony Isibor
THE Cow skin popularly known in the country as ‘ponmo’ is one delicacy that has for ages adorned the dining tables of many Nigerian homes.
Even though dieticians have repeatedly warned that the meal lacks any form of nutritional value, the trade and consumption of ponmo have continued to grow unabated.
With the outbreak of the Anthrax disease, a rare, but serious illness caused by a spore-forming bacterium, “Baccillus Antrascis”, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, alerted residents and citizens of its outbreak, which is widespread in northern Ghana, bordering Burkina Faso and Togo.
In a statement by Ernest Umakhihe, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, advised Nigerians to desist from the consumption of `ponmo’ locally in the country.
The advice by the ministry seems not to have been heeded as a check by Realnews shows that there has been no difference in the sale and consumption of ponmo by many Nigerians.
One of the sellers, Mama Tobi, in Lafenwa Market, a community on the outskirts of Ado-Ado Ota in Ogun state, told Realnews that the news of the warning by the Ministry of Agriculture of an Anthrax outbreak was only a rumour.
Although Mama Tobi agreed that she heard of the outbreak of the diseases and warning to desist from its consumption, she said that “we have been eating it since, and nobody has died”.
Another trader in the same market, who said she did hear of the warning, stated that it wouldn’t change anything.
According to her, it is cheap and served as meat in the soup.
Although other consumers, who spoke to Realnews agreed that it is cheap and gives the consumer the feeling that he is chewing meat, they, however, added that they would discontinue its consumption if it was proven to be the cause of any health challenge in the country.
Irrespective of Nigerians disposition to warnings of outbreaks of diseases like the Anthrax, its possible spread from neighbouring West African countries to Nigeria, is real and must be taken seriously.
The Centre for Disease Control, CDC explained that people could get sick with anthrax if they come in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products or by inhaling spores.
According to the CDC, the symptoms ranged from skin ulcer with a dark scab to difficulty in breathing.
It said that although the disease is treatable by a medical professional, the inhaled anthrax is harder to treat and can be fatal.
Also, the World Health Organisation, WHO, said the disease, transmissible from animals to humans, affect ruminants such as cows, sheep and goats.
The federal government had also explained that being a bacterial disease, anthrax would respond to treatment with antibiotics and supportive therapy.
Apart from the outbreak of the Anthrax disease, ponmo consumption has severally been adjudged to be unsafe and poses as potential source of cancer and other forms of health challenge.
However, efforts by the federal government to ban its consumption have failed in the past. As a way of monitoring the consumption of ponmo as all efforts by the government to ban it have failed in the past, Salami Akorede, the Director, Dietetics Department at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Osun, urged NAFDAC to regulate the mode of processing cow hide into `ponmo’ for human consumption.
Salami Akorede, in an interview with NAN said that the popular mode of burning cow hide on naked fire to produce `ponmo’ was deleterious to health.
According to him, the process of burning cow hide on naked fire makes the product to become potential source of cancer when consumed regularly.
He added, however, that if well processed, `ponmo’ is a good source of protein, water, energy and micronutrients which contain fibre that aid digestion.
“In producing `ponmo’, processors should regulate the exposure of the cow hide to naked fire so as to minimise the formation of nitrates on them.’’
He explained that `ponmo’ can also serve as alternative to meat since it is affordable. He also said that consumers should take `ponmo’ alongside other protein-rich sources like meat, fish, crayfish and soya balls to complement their protein supply.
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Tags: Anthrax disease Ernest Umakhihe NAFDAC Salami Akorede WHO
