Notice on strengthening school foodborne disease monitoring and drinking water hygiene

(en.nhfpc.gov.cn)

Updated: 2014-10-23

NHFPC General Office's Food Letter No 887, 2014

Health and family planning commissions and education departments in provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps:

Several food and drinking pollution accidents occurred at school canteens during the first half of 2014. To take care of foodborne disease monitoring reports and drinking water hygiene management work; avoid food poisoning, intestinal infectious disease outbreak and drinking water pollution; and safeguard the physical health of teachers and students, we issue the relevant work notice as follows:

Focus on school foodborne disease monitoring report and drinking water hygiene management work

All regions should pay attention to foodborne disease monitoring and drinking water hygiene management work; follow requirements of relevant laws and work plans; clarify responsibilities of health and family planning and education departments, as well as relevant technical institutes; establish regular communication and consultation work mechanisms; and fully implement responsibilities. All parties should strengthen plans and arrangement of school food-borne disease monitoring report and drinking water hygiene and safety work; carefully screen food and drinking water safety hazards; step up foodborne disease prevention and control at schools in rural and remote areas; and take effective measures to prevent risks. Interdepartmental coordination, supervision and inspection should be strengthened. Medical and disease prevention and control institutes, as well as schools, should earnestly carry out food-borne disease monitoring report work and submit the monitoring results to health and family planning and education departments in a timely manner. The education department should actively cooperate with health organizations in monitoring work and urge schools to address problems found during monitoring and analysis.

Find problems and strictly carry out relevant work mechanism

Schools should strictly carry out the food safety system and ensure food purchasing proof, stock inspection and ledger system, food storage, processing and supply management are up to standards. They shall strictly carry out drinking water hygiene management measures. Those that use self-built water supply facilities should strengthen water resource hygiene. Those that use secondary water supply must clean and disinfect water storing facilities regularly. All water treatment equipment must have hygiene certificates and undergo regular disinfection and maintenance to ensure water quality. Drinking water pollution accidents should be immediately reported to local health and family planning departments. Health and family planning comprehensive supervision and law enforcement agencies should strengthen school drinking water hygiene supervision and guidance, focus on the implementation of drinking water hygiene management measures, guide cleaning and disinfection of water storage facilities at schools, and urge relevant parties to address problems. Disease prevention and control, as well as medical institutes, shall follow relevant plans, earnestly deal with foodborne disease outbreaks, prepare special medicines, and strengthen technical training and drills.