Tema,– One risk contracting diseases such as Hepatitis B, Malaria and Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV) through the patronage of mobile or street nail trimmers who use unsterilized nail clippers.
Mr Isaac Kwame Opare, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Benemef Foundation a Non-governmental Organization noted that sharing personal hygiene equipment should be avoided.
Mr Opare in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Tema explained that it may seem harmless, but there were several conditions affecting nails that could potentially spread through the shared use of nail clippers especially the services of street nail clippers.
Health professionals have identified paronychia which is an infection of the nail fold, where the nail meets the skin of the finger or toe, which causes redness and swelling and in some cases, blisters.
Paronychia can be an acute bacterial infection that quickly clears up with the use of antibiotics and can be chronic and go on to affect the nail itself. This infection can be transmitted via unclean nail implements; specifically, nail clippers.
Hepatitis is a virus that causes inflammation of the liver. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends not sharing nail clippers as one of the preventative measures against spreading Hepatitis C, in particular.
“It only takes a small cut or scratch to make the body more vulnerable to the entry of an infection and this can easily occur when using nail clippers,” he said.
Mr Opare said one could get fungal infection which usually affects the area between the toes with symptoms of redness, cracking, and itching through the services of street nail clippers.
Onychomycosis is another fungal infection that specifically affects the toenails and causes thickening and discoloration of the nail.
“Nail files are gentler on nails and are good for shaping and smoothing nail edges. Regular trimming is important to keep them sturdy and strong but revealed that the street nail trimmers used obsolete tools which could endanger the lives of people who patronize their services.
Mr Opare, therefore, called on the Environmental Health Officers to educate the public on the implications of patronizing the services of street nail trimmers.
He explained that most people were ignorant about the dangers associated with the work of the street nail clippers who moved around especially in the markets and Lorry Stations.
Mr Opare explained that most of the people complained about expensive service at the salon and preferred to spend GHC2.00 to get their nails trimmed.
He said environmental health officers in each district should educate both the public and the boys who do such jobs in order not to spread diseases.
Source: Ghana News Agency
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