DOH confirms food poisoning on the rise
THE Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed a rise in the number of persons being victimized by food poisoning in Region 1, most of whom are pupils and students buying unsanitary food from street vendors without sanitation permits.
Dr. Myrna Cabotaje, DOH regional director, noted the food poisoning reported in San Carlos City and Balungao, Pangasinan; and in Sto. Domingo, Ilocos Sur.
She said in most of these cases, the victims bought food from outside their schools.
The incident in Balungao happened at the Balungao National High School where several pupils belonging to different classes bought food from one source and suffered stomach pains, vomited and felt dizzy.
In Sto. Domingo, she said, the source of food poisoning was on spoiled mongo eaten by the victims for lunch.
In San Carlos City, more than 100 children were hospitalized for buying and eating chewable candies that already expired.
The results of the laboratory examination on the candies that downed more than 100 children in Guelew, San Carlos City are still not available.
Several persons were also hospitalized for eating wild mushrooms that they thought to be edible.
She advised parents to prepare snacks prepared by them in their homes for their children instead of leaving it to them to buy and eat whatever they choose.
She also advised the schools to activate their own canteens so that their pupils and students will no longer buy unsanitary food from street vendors.
Cabotaje said protecting the children from unsanitary food is no longer the job of the DOH but of the Local Government Units and the schools. (Leonardo Micua)
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