Market women at the Dome Market in Accra have observed that their continuous exposure to firewood smoke affects their eyes and general health.
The market women were speaking during a cylinder recirculation model (CRM) sensitization exercise conducted by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) at the market on Friday.
One of the traders, Ms. Elizabeth Ansah, indicated that she used charcoal and firewood for cooking.
She said she had just observed that her left eye was losing sight, and she believed that it was the smoke from naked fire.
According to Ms. Ansah, her mother also suffered from eye challenges, mainly due to smoke from the naked fire.
Interacting with the market women, a Deputy Chief Executive of NPA, Mrs. Linda Asante, said the complaints by the women were germane.
She said medical examinations had confirmed that continuous inhaling of smoke from charcoal and firewood affects the eyes, the lungs, and results in the delivery of babies with low birth weight.
Mrs. Asante said the NPA, and by extension, the government, had introduced the CRM to increase access to LPG and ensure safety in the distribution chain.
She, therefore, urged the women to use LPG to protect themselves from the harmful effects of smoke from charcoal and firewood.
In another development, the NPA organized a free breast cancer screening at the Dome Market.
The medical practitioners urged the market women to do monthly self-screening of their breasts and go for medical checkups when necessary.
Addressing the women, Mrs. Asante said the NPA Chief Executive, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, was passionate about women’s well-being, hence the decision to organize the free breast cancer screening.
She said the exercise was to ensure early detection and treatment of breast cancer.