‘Food handlers at schools under close scrutiny’

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Dr Zulkifli Jantan

Dr Annuar Rapaee

Dr Hu Chang Hock

William Ghani Bina

SIBU: The state Health Department is mounting more stringent monitoring of food handlers, said its director Dr Zulkifli Jantan.

“The control measures will help ensure that the food is safe for students’ consumption,” Dr Zulkifli told The Borneo Post yesterday in response to the issue of food poisoning in school of late.

He stressed that it was important for food to be prepared hygienically in a clean environment.

When asked about the suspected food poisoning case in a secondary school in Kanowit last Sunday involving 16 students, he said they were in the midst of investigating the case.

According to the media report, seven of the 16 boarders were admitted to the hospital for further observation.

The rest were given outpatient treatment, it stated.

The boarders aged between 13 and 16 were believed to have taken some ‘kuih’ during tea break in school.

A girl claimed that the curry puff and ‘apam balik’ catered from outside tasted strange, but consumed the food anyway thinking it was alright.

Meanwhile, Nangka assemblyman Dr Annuar Rapaee said food handlers down with diseases such as diarrhea should not be involved in food preparation.

“I also hope food handlers will be put under more stringent observation by the health department,” Dr Annuar suggested.

He added, “Through more stringent monitoring, it will prevent recurrences of such case in future while ensuring that food handlers practise good hygiene and cleanliness at all times.”

A senior private medical practitioner Dr Hu Chang Hock said there were multi-factors in play, when asked on the causes of food poisoning.

“We have to look at the whole food chain from raw materials to the finished product. The source must not be contaminated as that can cause food poisoning.

“Then, the environment of food preparation must be clean and hygienic. No spitting around as that can transmit diseases if the person is unwell.

“Put on gloves in food preparation and wash hands thoroughly after using the toilet. And there should not be any pests such as rats, cockroaches in the food preparation area,” Dr Hu expounded.

He warned people against consuming leftovers, adding that food needed to be well cooked.

Dr Hu suggested: “Obtain food from reliable sources only.”

Meanwhile, Sarawak Teachers’ Union (STU) president William Ghani Bina said schools should be out of bounds to outside food.

“There should not be any outside food allowed into the school. The canteen can prepare and cook the food required by students,” Ghani added.

He pointed out that it was not practical to ask teachers to check on the food in school as that would be counter productive.

On the suspected food poisoning, he said STU viewed the incident with regrets.

He figured the food could be clean but might have been contaminated during the transportation process.

“There is not much the teachers or principal can do, but outside food should be disallowed,” he said.