Public Health Department Addresses Food Safety and Sanitation Risks After Hurricane Melissa

The Westmoreland Public Health Department has been implementing corrective measures to safeguard food safety and sanitation standards across the parish, following the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

Chief Public Health Inspector for Westmoreland, Steve Morris, who was addressing the monthly meeting of the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation in Savanna-la-Mar on December 11, indicated that inspections were carried out to identify risks and take enforcement action where conditions were found to be unsafe.

“Some 658 food-handling establishments were checked [while some] 39,103.15 kilograms and 820.28 litres of food were condemned at food-handling establishments, due to damage from the hurricane,” Mr. Morris said.

He informed that tourism properties were also included in the inspection programme as the sector moved through the recovery phase.

He added that some operations have since resumed following repairs and the restoration of utilities.

In addition to food safety, Mr. Morris reported that sanitation conditions across communities were assessed to guide targeted public health interventions.

“In the rapid assessment of communities done by the visiting team of public health inspectors, 1,218 premises were assessed,” he said.

He stated that the findings revealed sanitation gaps that required immediate attention to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks.

“Some 583 premises were practicing unsatisfactory soil-based disposal, including burning, and 56 communities had no expiratory disposal facilities,” Mr. Morris informed.

Solid waste accumulation was also identified as a major concern in several areas across the parish.

Mr. Morris further advised that environmental health teams continue to monitor conditions at shelters housing displaced residents.

“To date, 29 occupied shelters with a total of 560 persons are still in the parish,” he said.

He noted that corrective attention is being directed to shelters that remain below required standards.

“Six of these are unsatisfactory due to little or no available water supply, unsatisfactory toilet facilities, and accumulation of solid waste,” Mr. Morris said.

Institutional facilities also remain under continuous public health supervision as part of the post-hurricane response.