The study aimed to determine the prevalence of eye diseases among women engaged in the local extraction of palm kernel oil in the Kumasi Metropolis. A cross-sectional study was carried out in five women groups purposively sampled. A total of 150 women were sampled. History taken from the women included participants' demographics and ocular and occupational history. Ocular examination included visual acuity and ophthalmoscopy. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17.0 was used to analyze the data. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test were employed. A total of 150 women aged from 17 to 84 years were examined. The prevalence of eye diseases was 56.0%. The ocular disease with the highest prevalence was pterygium (34.0%), followed by cataract and pinguecula (20.0% each). The study revealed a high ocular morbidity rate. Regular eye examination and education are recommended for these women since they are exposed to several risk factors which play important roles in ocular morbidities.

The study determined the impacts of fish cage farming on the gorge area of Lake Volta. Water and sediment samples were collected from six sites in the Lee Cage Farm; four from sections with cages and two from about 1300 m upstream of the farm which served as the control. Water quality variables monitored were pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, nitrate-nitrogen, ammonia-nitrogen, orthophosphate, faecal coliforms and total coliforms. Variables monitored in the sediment were organic matter, total carbon, total nitrogen and total phosphorus. There were variations in water quality between the farmed and control sites but the differences were not significant (p > 0.05). The mean counts of total coliform in the water ranged from 940 - 3318 cfu/100 ml while faecal coliforms ranged from 113 - 552 cfu/100 ml at the farmed site. The mean total coliform count at the control site ranged from 837 - 6960 cfu/100 ml while the faecal coliforms ranged from 48 - 120 cfu/100 ml. Therefore, there was significant variation between the faecal coliforms count at the two sites (p = 0.046). The results suggest that the general microbiological quality of the water at the study area was unacceptable.

This study assesses the microbial and heavy metal distribution in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) cultured in waste stabilization pond, and their subsequent suitability for human consumption. Treated wastewater-fed pond (WFP) was used in the culture of the fish with a non-wastewater fed pond (NWFP), fed with ground and rain water as control. Pond water, sediments and fish tissue (gill, liver, gut and skin) samples from both sources were analyzed for pathogens and heavy metal levels. Escherichia coli populations in the sediments and water from the WFP exceeded the maximum permissible limit by 2-3 log units as expected. Significantly higher levels of pathogen contamination were detected in the gut and skin of fish from the WFP than the NWFP. Heavy metal concentrations in all samples fell within the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)/World Health Organization (WHO) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) permissible limits except for iron and cadmium. There were significantly higher heavy metal concentrations in gill and liver than the muscle. Even though iron recorded the highest concentrations in fish tissue, the concentrations (0.1-2.0 mg kg) were below the expected daily nutritional requirement (1-2 mg) for humans and pose no toxicological risk. However, catfish from WFP would require precautionary measures such as cooking/grilling prior to consumption to avoid pathogen infection.