Social Development
Question by:
Hon Lorraine Botha
Answered by:
Hon Albert Fritz
Question Number:
1
Question Body:
- With reference to the outbreak of listeriosis, how is his Department ensuring that children at early childhood development centres (ECD centres) are safeguarded against the bacteria and that children do not consume food items that have been identified as contaminated;
- whether his Department communicated with teachers and parents at ECD centres about listeriosis; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
- whether any cases of infections at ECD centres in the province have been reported; if so, (a) where, (b) how many and (c) how is his Department addressing them?
Answer Body:
- The Department of Social Development has a close working relationship with the Environmental Health Practitioners (EHP) employed by the municipalities. One of their key roles is to assess that, should food be prepared at the ECD facility, all precautions are taken to ensure compliance with food safety.
- The EHP communicates food safety measures with ECD facilities during the routine health inspections conducted by them at the facility.
- The Department is not aware or been made aware of any cases of infections at ECD centres.
Date:
Friday, March 23, 2018
