Dubai: Technical staff at Dubai Central Laboratory (DCL) are now trained and equipped to detect various pathogens that cause food poisoning using an advanced diagnostic method.
Training in Pulse Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE), was conducted in coordination with the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the laboratory of the Central Public Health Network Coordinator, PulseNet for the Middle East and the General Directorate of Health Affairs and the Ministry of Health, Oman, according to a press release from Dubai Municipality.
The five-day programme included theoretical and practical classes and intensive training to raise the efficiency of the technical staff and to ensure screening accuracy, which will provide a baseline to connect with the relevant authorities to control and limit the spread of food poisoning cases in the region.
This will be done by technical staff specialised in the Food and Environment Laboratory Section of the DCL. They will isolate and classify bacterial pathogens with the PGEF technology with multi-directional electric current, which is one of the most important techniques for the detection of epidemic pathogens of micro-organisms and causes of food poisoning such as Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli.
Cooperation will also be sought from the authorities concerned such as the Food Safety Department and hospitals for effective implementation of the new diagnostic method, the release said
“Dubai Municipality always seeks to provide the best in line with the rapid changes in the world based on the vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to elevate Dubai as the best global destination in various fields, especially as the emirate is gearing up to host the World Expo 2020, which will put us in front of great challenges in maintaining the boom of Dubai and to seek the safety of residents and visitors alike,” Khalid Mohammad Sharif Al Awadi, assistant director-general for Environment, Health and Safety Control Sector, was quoted as saying.
