THE poor and unhygienic condition of food outlets in the city continue to pose health risks to customers and raises serious concerns for urgent intervention.
Honiara city council (HCC) when asked about the poor and unhygienic issues of most food providers said the environmental health division within council has been undergoing health inspections on these food outlets.
Chief environmental health inspector George Titiulu said they have carried out inspections on these food outlets every now and then.
“This month and next month we are carrying out inspections on food outlets to ensure they meet safe and healthy standards.
“But we are focusing our inspections on high risk outlets. Despite our challenges with staff and logistics we try to inspect five outlets in a week,” Titiulu said.
Adding it is becoming an issue to know that most food outlets have problems with insects like cockroaches and rats that pose health risks to the public.
“What we are doing for this month and next month is to advice all food outlets to spray their buildings with insecticides to prevent these insects and rats because these are a health threat to the public. Currently my team is undergoing monitoring of food outlets,” Titiulu added.
He said those outlets who fail to meet safe and health standards will be issued with notices.
“If they fail to comply, council will temporarily close their operations until they have met the requirements.”
He said over the years they have temporarily closed a number of shops who hav’nt met the standard requirements.
Meanwhile he urged the public to report to them any food outlet they think is filthy and has unhygienic environment.
“This is so that we can deal with such food outlets promptly for public safety and health.”
He said most often the public get food poisoning or diarrhoea from food they eat in these food outlets but fail to report that to council.
“But any experiences like this must be reported so that we can inspect these food outlets to ensure the food they provide is safe and healthy for public consumption,” Mr Titiulu said.
By DANIEL NAMOSUAIA
