IMA Swachh Bharat Swasthya Bharat Program to focus on food safety

IMA Swachh Bharat Swasthya Bharat Program to focus on food safety

The current budget of Modi Government if handles properly can take care of lakhs of people dying from food and water borne illnesses. 3 lac children alone die in India in a year before the age of 3 of diarrheal illnesses.

 33,152 crore earmarked for health; Separate budget for Swachh Bharat campaign with six crore toilets will bring hygiene and cleanliness;  6 crore new houses with a toilet each under Amrut Mahotsav (75th year of independence), 68968 crore for education and mid day meal; 5,300 crore for micro-irrigation, service tax, exemption in cold storage services and in transportation of  food stuff by rail/road; and thousands of crores for agriculture ministry if properly utilized India can think of a country free of food and water born diseases.

Addressing a press conference Padma Shri, National Science Communication and Dr B C Roy National Awardee, Dr K K Aggarwal Honorary Secretary General IMA and President Heart Care Foundation of India, said that Indian Medical Association will write to health ministry; commerce ministry, consumer ministry and agriculture ministry, to join hands with IMA to  get rid of diarrheal deaths in the country.

Heart Care Foundation of India and Indian Medical association jointly with Delhi Medical Association and NDMC, with support of Indian Oil and Lions Club are organizing a multiple stake holder panel discussion at 11am on 7th April at Talkatora Stadium. It will be open to public to attend. A series of tableau on health will also be released on the occasion.

Dr Ajay Lekhi President DMA and Dr P K Sharma MOH NDMC in a joint statement said that cut open fruits and vegetables are banned and one should not eat them.

Dr A Marthanda Pillai National President IMA in his message said that all over the world there are estimated 58 crore cases of 22 different food borne enteric diseases and 351 000 associated deaths. The enteric disease agents responsible for most deaths are Salmonella Typhi(52 000 deaths), enteropathogenic E. coli (37 000) and norovirus (35 000) and over 40% people suffering from enteric diseases caused by contaminated food are children aged under 5 years.

Facts released on the occasion 

1. Safe temperature for food to remain safe is between 5 to 60 degree temperature

2. Water has to be roll boiled for minimum one minute to kill all the organisms

3. Remember when in doubt follow " heat it, roll boil it, cook it, peel it or forget it"

4. Wash vegetable sin running water and not in a utensil

5. Keep cooked and uncooked food separately

6. Do not pick up multiple glasses contacting drinking water with one had using multiple fingers to support them

7. Give all your food handlers one tablet of de-worming every 3-6 months

8. If you allergic to any food, avoid it. Next allergic reaction may be more severe

9. Food poisoning can occur within 6 hours of food consumption ( vomiting predominant) or after 24 hours of food consumption (diarrhea predominant)

10.  Frozen things does not mean they are  sterilized. ICE should always be made out of pure safe water.

11. All food handlers must wear gloves while preparing food.

12. Always give food handlers a space for toilet with facilities of soap if they are going to stay overnight.

13. Bottled water does not mean it is safe, it can be recycled one.

14. Do not eat leftover food of more than 2 hours at room temperature

15. Cheaper Fruits and vegetables brought in morning out of abundance stock will always be fresh locally grown and seasonal

16. Do not buy vegetables if all of them are of the same size

17. Avoid buying vegetables which look very much colures with the same brightness

18. Food of plant in origin has no cholesterol

19. Combine all seven colures and six taste when buying vegetables and fruits

20. Food offered to GODS will always be satvik.