Pakistan’s food safety regulator kicks off campaign on food hygiene

PAKISTAN –  Pakistan’s food safety regulator, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority (KP FS&HFA), has decided to install Information, Education and Communication (IEC) material in schools, various hotels, restaurants, dairy shops and other food related businesses including public places in order to create awareness among people regarding hygiene and quality food.

The KP FS&HFA Director General, Shahrukh Ali Khan while talking to APP said the main aim of the IEC material distribution among the target places was to sensitize the general public and food handlers related to provision of hygiene food practices, so as to promote safe food culture in the province.

He informed that initially a total of 400 wall hangings, 400 standees, 200 panaflex boards and thousands of brochures would be distributed among the target community in Peshawar.

“The educational material will help the authority to further spread awareness related to the SOPs of the authority among food businesses, so that they can serve customers with safe and healthy food,” he said.

For a start, Shahrukh informed that the authority will distribute the IEC material in Peshawar district before later extending the initiative to the rest of the province. He added that in view of the burden of food-borne diseases on hospitals, KP FS&HFA would also approach various hospitals in the city for educating visiting masses.

He emphasized that the awareness campaign in hospitals would educate people that little attention from their side towards selection of healthy food practices and following the basic hygiene principles could help them in achieving a healthy life.

 “The authority is also in talk with Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit to provide space for IEC material in its terminals. Thousands of passengers travel through BRT every day, this will help the authority to spread the word and make people aware of the core functions of the KP FS&HFA,” he said.

The Director General noted that apart from inspections and raids KP FS&HFA believes that a lot of reforms could be introduced in the food sector through the tool of awareness and negotiations.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority (KPFS&HFA) held a graduation ceremony of 42 officers last week at the Provincial Services Academy (PSA), marking the completion of their one-week specialized in-service training in the public sector management.

Director General Ahmad Hassan along with Director/Chief Instructor Nosheen Azam turned up at the occasion and awarded certificates to the participants. Ahmad congratulated them over successful completion of their training and stressed on the need for provision of safe edibles to the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He further said that awareness sessions about food safety and hygiene need to be conducted by the teams to raise awareness among the masses and scale up the capacity-building of hotel industry.