Health officials toughen up on food safety

Health officials have closed five ice-making factories and 18 drinking water plants after their products proved to be substandard in laboratory tests.

Vientiane Health Department staff tested ice samples taken from 135 factories and 129 samples from drinking water plants in the capital’s nine districts.

Officials have advised operators of drinking water and ice factories, as well as market stallholders, to ensure their products meet the department’s food and drug regulations ahead of the SEA Games in December.

Department Director Dr Inlavanh Keobounphanh said on Friday all sectors were speeding up their work, aiming to be competent hosts of the upcoming event.

“We want all private and government organisations, as well as companies related to the health sector, to carry out their work using healthy and hygienic methods,” said Dr Inlavanh, speaking at the 2nd Round Meeting of the Sub-committee on Medical Hygiene and Food Safety for Entrepreneurs.

She said while it was important for the public to be good hosts, it was also important to ensure a clean environment and provide food that was safe to eat.

Drinking water and ice should be processed under the standards laid down by the Ministry of Health’s Food and Drug Department. Markets should be kept clean and public toilets should meet sanitation standards. Only organic vegetables will be served to guests and athletes during the games.

“We may not top the gold medal rankings at the games, but we can make sure that visitors and athletes enjoy their time here and stay healthy,” Dr Inlavanh said.

But, she said, the health sector alone could not be responsible for the success of the games and people from all walks of life needed to lend a hand to make sure the event ran smoothly.

During the meeting, Head of the department’s Food and Drug Division, Dr Somchine Singhalath, reviewed activities carried out by its team to encourage ice and drinking factory operators to comply with inspection schedules from January to November.

More than 200 participants from the Vientiane Health Department, Vientiane Police Economic Department, Vientiane Agriculture and Forestry Department and ice and drinking water factory owners attended the one-day meeting.

By Xayxana Leukai
November 2, 2009
Vientiane Times