Question NW197 to the Minister of Health
29 February 2024 - NW197
Mafanya, Mr WTI to ask the Minister of Health
(a) How has he responded to the more than 800 incidences of food poisoning in Gauteng in a space of five months, (b) what steps of intervention have been taken to prevent such incidents in the future and (c) what initiatives have been taken to curb food poisoning in communities?
Reply:
a) Response teams in all the affected areas were activated and investigations commenced immediately to try and establish the type of food consumed by the affected people.
- Specimens were collected and sent to National Health laboratories to detect and identify the chemicals/organisms in the samples.
- The Gauteng Provincial Public Health Directorate further established the Incident Management Team that meets twice a week to monitor the progress of the outbreak and the response by each thematic area such as Environmental Health, Communicable Disease Control, Surveillance Officers, South African Police Services and Consumer Services.
(b)-(c) Steps and initiatives:
- Routine inspections are being conducted at food premises.
- Routine food and water samples are being taken for microbiological and chemical analysis.
- Joint operations are conducted with the following stakeholders: local councillors, consumer protection, metro police, border management, home affairs, and SAPS.
- Health education and awareness are provided to all formal and informal food operators and surrounding community on food preparation, storage, and handling, including chemical poisoning handling. This intervention is especially focussed on food vendors close to schools.
- Prohibition notices and fines are issued to owners of non-compliant premises.
- All suspected food samples are taken to the laboratory for analysis.
- All non-compliant foodstuffs were and will continue to be seized and disposed.
- Radio health talks are done on different community radio stations to create awareness.
- Health education and awareness campaigns are ongoing on food safety. This is being done on multimedia platforms e.g. TV, radio stations, social media and newsletters.
- Draft SOPs have been developed with all relevant stakeholders on how to deal with foodborne illness.
- Support visits are done to Early Development Centres to raise awareness.
- Information sharing with relevant stakeholders is ongoing.
END.