Gweru steps up inspections

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Gweru City Council has set a new target to inspect at least 3 600 premises, especially food outlets, by year-end to ensure they complied with the set hygienic standards.

Gweru City Council has set a new target to inspect at least 3 600 premises, especially food outlets, by year-end to ensure they complied with the set hygienic standards.

By Stephen Chadenga

Buildings in the city particularly food premises are periodically checked to assess if they were up to standard.

“We have plans to increase inspection of premises from 250 to at least 300 per month by December 2015,” the council’s health progress report revealed.

“A total of 2 269 inspections were carried out between January and April averaging 567 inspections per month, which means we are on target.

“We have plans to increase food and water sampling from 10 times to at least 12 times per year by December 2015.

“No water or food samples have been set out for analysis so far and we are far below target,” acting health services director Christopher Ruwodo said in the report.

Cholera can be transmitted through water and fresh food especially fruits, fish and meat and pre-cooked food sold in the open. Zimbabwe experienced its worst cholera outbreak between August 2008 and July 2009 when 4 000 deaths and almost 100 000 cases were reported throughout the country.