Latest update December 23rd, 2024 3:40 AM
World Health Day observance…Vendors targeted as ‘Wellness Club’ zeroes in on food safety
Food vendors were the primary targets when the Region Three Health and Wellness Club held its observance of World Health Day at the Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling yesterday.
Some of the Club members during yesterday’s World Health Day observance
And the observance was one intended to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the Club as it was launched on April 7 last year.
According to recently elected President, Mr Kimani Urlin, the mission of the Club is to sensitise people, particularly those residing within Region Three, about what they can do to protect their health.
And since the 2015 World Health Day observance focused on ‘food security,’ Urlin noted that efforts were made to seek out and educate food vendors that they have a big role to play in helping to ensure food safety.
“We have spoken to persons who sell at school cafeterias, persons who have shopping marts and grocery shops. We have also spoken to supervisors and managers of fast food outlets in the Vreed-en-Hoop area. This is a prime area now, where lots of people dwell, and there are a number of food places that cater to them, so it is for this reason that we have targeted them to encourage food safety,” observed Urlin.
Among the experts sensitising the vendors and the public at large yesterday were Environmentalist Ms June Nedd and Nutritionist Ms Norma Howard.
“Basically our aim is to make them aware of how important it is for them to secure and properly handle foods that they are hoping to sell to their customers. It is important that optimum care, preservation and hygiene are adhered to, from the simple washing of hands to the utensils used,” the Club President added.
According to Howard, since there are numerous harmful outcomes of unsafe foods, “our aim is to encourage everyone to ensure that the food on their plate is safe to eat.” She noted that “in order to make the food that we eat safe, food producers and suppliers along the entire food chain must operate responsibly and supply food to consumers.”
“Food not properly prepared or mishandled on the farm, in food factories, markets, at home, in restaurants, snackettes or canteens can result in foodborne illnesses,” Howard asserted.
The group, Urlin outlined, is made up of health workers, volunteers, fitness experts, and education specialists, all of whom have a keen interest in advocating behavioural changes that can foster improved health and wellness.
“Our aim is to make people aware of what they need to do prior to having any health needs so that they can be the ones taking optimum care of themselves,” said Urlin.
During the outbreak of the Chikungunya Virus last year, club members were very involved in supporting the efforts of the Ministry of Health in raising awareness among Region Three residents, Urlin recounted. This, according to him, saw people being enlightened of the need to use mosquito nets, keeping their environment clean and keeping their drinking water sources well covered to help reduce the prevalence of the waterborne diseases.
The Club over its one-year existence has also been collaborating with a number of religious organisations to offer basic health care services such as blood pressure, cholesterol, sugar, Body Mass Index tests among others. Last month, the Club also supported the Guyana Association of Woman Police’s Medical Outreach as part of the International Women’s Day celebration.
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