Phase 1: Civic agency trains capital’s food handlers

Islamabad Public Health Chief Dr Hasan Orooj stressed upon the need for a behavioural change among food handlers

ISLAMABAD:

The Capital Development Authority Directorate of Health Services has concluded the first phase of its intensive training of food handlers.

The trainings, held from September 15 to September 18, trained more than 500 workers from hotels, restaurants and other food outlets.

Islamabad Public Health Chief Dr Hasan Orooj, in a press release issued, stressed upon the need for a behavioural change among food handlers.

“The culture of food safety is the need of the hour in hotels and restaurants of the capital and needs to be followed at all cost,” he said.

The training workshop has opened a new era of clarification and understanding of standards that food vendors, hotels have to maintain within their premises in order to provide high quality food service to the inhabitant of residents of the capital.

Dr Orooj concluded that it is the collective responsibility of the government, producer, retailer and food outlets that high quality and safe food be provided to the people.

He said that maintaining food quality will not only bring good name to the food industry but will enhance economic growth of the country by increasing food exports and attracting tourism.

Dr Orooj, Director Health Services said that a proposal will be submitted to the CDA chairman to institutionalise this capacity building trainings of the food vendors which has high demand.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th, 2015.