16 food poisoning cases in Johor schools between Jan-Aug

JOHOR BAHRU: The Johor Health Department has recorded 16 cases of food poisoning at primary and secondary schools between January and August this year, which is more than a two-fold increase from only seven cases recorded last year.
State Health and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat (pix) said it was feared that the number would continue to increase if no serious corrective and preventive measures were taken.
"The increase was due to negligence of those involved, including canteen operators, in ensuring cleanliness and quality of food served to the schoolchildren.
"Statistics showed that there were only 24 cases in 2013, which then dropped to 13 cases in 2014 and seven in 2015."
He said this to reporters after opening the presentation ceremony of the state-level Clean, Safe and Healthy Canteen Award 2016 here today.
Ayub said there were 1,139 school canteens and 92 hostel kitchens registered under the Education Ministry to prepare food for schoolchildren in Johor this year, but upon inspections on the premises and food, only 309 of the canteens were graded as Grade A canteens, 592 Grade B and 175 Grade C.
Eight of the canteens were even ordered closed due to food poisoning cases, he said.
"For hostel kitchens, 44 received Grade A, 66 Grade B, 12 Grade C and two kitchens were ordered closed, also due to food poisoning cases," he added.
On the award, he said Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Puteri in Batu Pahat won the award for the rural primary school category, while Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Chian Kuo in Tangkak won the urban primary school category.
Both schools will represent Johor at the national-level competition scheduled for Oct 18 in Shah Alam, Selangor.
Also present was State Health Department director Dr Rooshaimi Merican Rahim Merican. — Bernama