Publication: Daily Nation
Paper Section And Page: 3
Paper Date: Tue, Jan 5, 2002
Byline: Janelle Walters
Food borne illnesses are continuing to be a "challenge" to health
officials. Statistics show that over the past five years there have been at
least 1
000 reported cases of salmonella (about to 200 a year); 300 cases of
gastro-enteritis among children under four; between 4 000 and 5 000 cases of
gastro-enteritis predominantly in adults; and 200 cases of dysentery.
Senior Medical Officer in the Ministry of Health, Dr Ronald Knight, gave the
statistics when delivering the feature address at the launch of a six-day
seminar on Street Vending And HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) for
food handlers on Baxter's Road, St Michael.
"You might not be aware of this because people might not come back to you
after being sick," he told vendors. "But they will present themselves
to us at the polyclinics . . . ."
The doctor said that in a society where food was plentiful, there was a
"proliferation of people preparing it for sale".
"The largest group would be the itinerant food vendors that is probably the fastest growing industry in the country or one of the fastest growing industries," he said.
He explained that in light of this, it was incumbent on those in the business to ensure that they were operating at the highest possible standards. The Senior Medical Officer explained that most infections could be traced back to "contamination of the food during preparation" although there were some instances where the food itself was unfit for human consumption. Knight noted that this was where HACCP came in as this system ensured that people checked for contamination at critical points in food preparation.
Also present was Chief Environmental Health
Officer David Watson. He too spoke to "major problems" with food borne
illnesses, and stressed
that the Ministry of Health and vendors had to collaborate.
"Do not think of us (inspectors) as those people who are coming to humbug you," he told the vendors. "We are trying to help you. We have the same goal of providing food that is not only safe, but wholesome and free of any pathogenic bacteria," he added.