Health Official: Hundreds of vendors in city may not have sanitary permits

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Health has, time and time again, warned about the possible rise of food-related diseases each time a new school year begins, but a city health official told The Freeman the ordinance requiring vendors to get a sanitary permit may not be fully enforced yet again.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the health official said, “Kun tinud-on g’yud, wala nay makapamaligya og pagkaon diha sa palibot sa mga tunghaan karong June kay hapit tanan kanila walay sanitary permit.”

Vendors who apply for a sanitary permit are required to attend seminars that tackle, among others, how to ensure that the food they sell is clean at all times.

During the Kapihan sa PIA yesterday, DOH7 communicable disease division chief Enrique Sancho urged parents to encourage their children to only buy food from stores with sanitary permits. 

Sancho said there is a potential for food-related diseases to strike if students are not careful with what they eat.

He said food-related diseases usually go up during rainy season, particularly during the opening of classes, because of unsanitary preparation.

No records were presented as to the number of vendors who have availed and not availed of sanitary permits, but DOH said there are reportedly hundreds that would be affected if students would buy food only from their school’s canteen or cafeteria.

A teacher said many of her students would still prefer to buy food from vendors outside the school because they are sold cheaper, but admitted there is no assurance that they are safe.

“Ang ubang students ganahan nga adto mopalit og pagkaon sa gawas sa eskwelahan kay barato lagi kuno, pero ang problema kay dili kita makasiguro kun limpyo ba ang gipalit nila nga pagkaon,” the teacher said.

Meanwhile, one vendor who is selling food near a private school downtown admitted the DOH advisory has worried her.

In a separate development, Sancho announced the government will provide all pregnant women in Cebu and other parts of the region with free anti-H1N1 flu vaccine to prevent them from being afflicted with the H1N1 virus.

The virus spreads through cough or sneezes and when a person touches an infected surface, thus, the DOH urged that the mouth and nose should be covered when coughing or sneezing and that hands must be washed regularly.

Early signs of infection by the H1N1 virus include fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat and runny nose, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea.

High risk groups include people with chronic respiratory conditions like asthma and other obstructive pulmonary diseases, cardiac diseases, diabetes, chronic metabolic and renal diseases, chronic neurologic conditions, haemoglobinopathies, those who are immunosuppressed, persons with morbid obesity, pregnant women, the very young and the very old.

Sancho said pregnant women can avail of the vaccine at their health centers. — THE FREEMAN