Dubai: The highest number of food poisoning cases in Dubai in the past five years occurred among male workers between 18 years and 27 years, according to the Dubai Health Authority (DHA). Lack of hygiene was the primary reason for the sickness among these workers.
Dubai is making serious efforts toward preventing future outbreaks of food-borne diseases. The emirate, which has an average of 88 per 100,000 cases of food poisoning, aims to bring this number down to 70 by 2014 and further minimise.
The Dubai Municipality and Dubai Healthcare Authority have launched a project wherein the hospitals will provide real-time information on suspected cases of food borne diseases to the food control department. The department, will investigate the cases so as to take further action, said Khalid Sharif Al Awadi, Director of Food Control Department, DM.
Both DM and DHA will also conduct awareness campaigns on hygiene and food safety in workers residential areas, where the incidence of food poisoning has been the highest, and also among other target groups like children in order to minimise the possibility of any future outbreaks.
Lack of hygiene
"Most of the food poisoning cases came from blue collared workers and it was primarily due to lack of hygiene. We are now focusing on spreading awareness about hygiene among these workers so as to minimise the incidence of diseases due to food.
The campaign to spread awareness has already been launched and we are actively pursuing it," said Fathima Al Attar, Head of Preventive Services Centre, Primary Health Care, Dubai Health Authority (DHA).
Data gathered in the last nine months showed that the average number of food poisoning cases in Dubai was 88 per 100,000 in comparison to 15,384 in US and 8,870 in the UK. "Our target is to bring down this number to 70 by 2014," Al Awadi told Gulf News.
The DHA and also DM are working toward generating awareness regarding food safety among people from different walks of life.
"We found that in most cases of food poisoning, the reason was absence of proper hygiene at homes. Keeping the kitchen unclean or not properly washing their hands were commonly observed," said Al Awadi.
Common cases
The most common in case Dubai were related to giardiasis, followed by ameobaisis, salmonella, hepatitis A and typhoid, in that order.
Al Attar said guidelines along with manuals and a handbook have been prepared to be used by health care providers so that they can identify and report cases related to food poisoning at the earliest.
Health project
The project by Dubai Municipality and Dubai Health Authority will connect hospitals and clinics across the emirate to the Food Control Department, which will conduct its investigations based on these reports.
"Changing technologies, rapidly emerging and virulent pathogens, as well as globalisation of the food supply present new and unique challenges to maintaining a safe food supply and protecting the consumer. With the increasing movement of food across the globe, food borne pathogens also got spread," said Khalid Sharif Al Awadi, Director of Food Control Department.
