Research Paper
Year: 2019 | Month: October-December | Volume: 4 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 148-155
Assessment of Current Practices of Authorized Officers in Food Safety Program in a Rural District of Sri Lanka
Wickramaratne I.W.M.J1, Rathnayake S.J2, Gunathilake M.D.U2, Samarasinghe Y.J2, Amjed D.M.M.L.A2
1Director, District General Hospital, Trincomalee, Sri Lanka
2Registrar of Medical Administration, Post Graduate Institute of Medicine, Colombo, Sri Lanka
ABSTRACT
Background: Food is an essential component in human life. Contamination of foods with various biological, chemical and physical agents can cause food borne diseases. Worldwide it is a significant cause for morbidity and mortality. In Sri Lanka, food safety is assured by Food Act 26 of 1980 adopting the national Food Safety Programme (FSP) under the purview of the Ministry of Health in Sri Lanka. Though the system is well established, reported unsafe food related events have increased over the years. Similar trend was observed even in rural districts like Polonnaruwa.
Objective: Objective of this study was to assess the current practices of authorized officers in food safety program in Pollonnaruwa district in Sri Lanka.
Methods: Descriptive cross sectional study was conducted including all the seven MOH areas in Pollonnaruwa District. All the authorized officers of the food safety program were considered as the study population. A pretested structured data extraction sheet was used to collect existing data.
Results: The total study population of authorized officers (n=44) included one (1) F&DI, twelve (12) MOH/AMOH and thirty one (31) PHIs. All the MOH areas are occupied by a qualified medical officer. Planning and implementing of awareness programs for public and food handlers were happened but not properly planned throughout the district. No MOH area could meet standard in formal sample collection and most of them could reach only 50%. Food raiding throughout the district was done but not in an organized manner. Supervision and reviews were not happened regularly in the district.
Conclusion: District higher level and middle level officers and managers who had authority in implementing food safety, did not much involve in the subject. Discrepancy of planning and execution of the Food Safety program can be identified between deferent MOH areas. District level strategic plan cannot be identified during the study.
Recommendations: Active involvement of supervisors in district food safety program is a must. Food safety program has to be conducted in much organized manner throughout the district.
Keywords: Food, Food Safety Programme, Authorised Officers, Food Handling Establishments