Street Nail-Cutting Practices in The Gambia: A Public Health Concern

Dr Alieu SK Manjang

In The Gambia, it is common to see non-Gambians from countries such as Guinea, Senegal, Mali, Nigeria, iMauritania, Liberia, and Sierra Leone engaging in street vending, moving through neighborhoods, and visiting compounds for business. However, in recent times, a new trend has emerged: individuals, often unfamiliar in both appearance and language, roaming the streets offering to cut people’s nails for a fee.

While this may appear to be just another form of livelihood, it poses significant health risks. The practice often involves using the same tools on multiple people without proper sterilization, creating a potential pathway for the transmission of communicable diseases. The public-health implications of such practices warrant urgent attention from the relevant authorities. At the same time, individuals must exercise extra caution, remain conscious of the risks, and protect themselves against infections that can spread through such unsafe procedures.