JOIN DRIVERN TAXI AS PARTNER DRIVER TODAY!
Govt. to enforce public health and food and drugs Acts in Mbala district
Mbala, July 13th, 2013, ZANIS — Government says that it will not relent to enforce the public health and food and drugs Acts in Mbala district to protect the consumers’ lives.
And Chief health inspector, Moses Mutyoka says the council the area has seized expired 227 x 25 kg bags of breakfast meal mealie and assorted food stuffs because the shop owners contravened section 24 (1) (e) of the provisions of food and drugs Act number 22 of 1992.
Mbala Town Clerk Kennedy Mwansa says his council will ensure that the public health and the food and drugs Acts are observed in accordance with the law.
He said his council will ensure that it follows the law in ensuring that the traders operate businesses in a proper manner in the district.
ZANIS reports that the Town Clerk said this after public health inspectors from the council led by chief health inspector, Moses Mutyoka raided some shops at the town centre, today.
277 x 25kg bags of expired meal mealie and assorted food stuffs worth over K22, 000 were confisticated.
Mr. Mwansa warned that the council will start prosecuting people found wanting because it is an offence under the public health and food and drug Acts to sell to the public food stuffs and other consumable products which are expired or not labeled.
He has urged the business community to support and cooperate with the public health inspectors as they conduct routine inspections to check on products that are not fit for human consumption.
The town clerk also appealed to the general public to be vigilant and start reporting to relevant authorities any product suspected to be expired or not labeled saying it is dangerous to consume such products.
And speaking after the operation, Chief health inspector, Moses Mutyoka says the council the area has seized expired 227 x 25 kg bags of breakfast meal mealie and assorted food stuffs because the shop owners contravened section 24 (1) (e) of the provisions of food and drugs Act number 22 of 1992.
Mr. Mutyoka who is also competition consumer protection commissioner as well as community led total sanitation (CLTS) national coach said the routine operations being conducted was meant to clean and rid the district of unsafe foods and products from public consumption.
He said the council in conjunction with other stakeholders have intensified environmental health rounds including the open markets popularly known as munada where it has been observed that unsafe food for consumption are being sold.
Mr. Mutyoka has encouraged traders to keep their premises clean saying that very soon the council will swing into action to close business houses including restaurants that were operating under unhygienic environment.
Recently, public health inspectors from the Mbala municipal council and district community medical office confiscated and destroyed meat and meat products for violation of the food and drugs Act Cap 303 of the laws of Zambia.
