25th SEA Games, Laos

Visitors coming to Laos for the 25th SEA Games in December will be assured that hygienic food will be available throughout the capital, including food offered by street venders.

The Vientiane Health department is working to help service providers from hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and entertainment venues ensure the food they offer is safe and hygienic.

According to the department Director, Dr Inlavanh Keobounphanh, health officials performed their first inspection in May, looking into both food and environmental safety. The second inspection is now in progress.

In the first inspection, 54 out of a total of 85 hotels passed both aspects, 34 out off 71 restaurants were endorsed, and 135 out of more than 170 guesthouses passed the test.

Those failing to meet the criteria of the inspections were advised on ways to improve practises in order to rise up to standard.

Dr Inlavanh said those establishments proving hygienically sound in the second inspection will be certified and the first round of certificate presentations are expected to take place in September.

However, Dr Inlavanh assured that her department will keep giving advice to service providers to further improve their food safety practices so that they will be granted certificates before the November deadline.

“By November, if they still fail to meet the criteria, they will have no chance of being granted certificates,” Dr Inlavanh confirmed.

During the inspections, health officials gave advice to some street food venders to improve common issues regarding rubbish management and other criteria of cleanliness, while some hotels and restaurants have been directed on proper cooking methods.

“We also check the health of the chefs to make sure they are not suffering from chronic or communicable diseases,” Dr Inlavanh said.

Being granted certification is a means of gaining the confidence of patrons and drawing in more business during the historic event.

To ensure the food they are eating is safe, visitors should look for the certificates of venders and other food providers. “Food-related service providers, especially street vendors, are required to hang the certificate in front of their shops or restaurants or display them where they can be easily viewed by customers,” Dr Inlavanh said.

By Souksakhone Vaenkeo
vientianetimes

Health officials in Laos will inspect food outlets and certify those which have safe food during the 2009 South East Asian (SEA) Games.

The move is designed to inspire consumer confidence in local food during the games, according to Dr Alongkone Phengsavanh from the University of Health Sciences ' Department of Postgraduate Studies and Research.

Dr Alongkone, who is also head of the Lao National Olympic Doping Control Committee, and a member of the Asia Doping Control Committee, said officials would inspect food hygiene and the quality of drinking water in food shops.

“We will flag those food shops which have food that is up to standard, as well as organic food shops, so customers can be confident eating there,” he said. He said SEA Games athletes would also be told which places were safe to eat at.

Certification will be issued by the Food and Drug Department under the Ministry of Public Health, the Food and Drug Analysis Centre and the Vientiane Public Health Department with assistance from technical staff from the World Health Organisation.

Indonesia and Malaysia have requested halal food and Dr Alongkone assured them Laos would be able to provide this.

The health and well-being of visiting athletes and officials will be a high priority for SEA Games organisers.

Vientiane 's three main hospitals Mahosot, Setthathirath and Mittaphab will be capable of treating the athletes, and medical staff will be sent to each sporting event with ambulances.

In Vientiane about 100 doctors, 150 nurses and 70 cleaners and cleaning inspectors will be assigned to these duties.

Medical staff, security of ficials and fire safety officials will undergo training to ensure they are prepared for any unexpected emergencies.

In addition to monitoring the health of athletes, a number of doctors will be tasked with making sure the SEA Games remain drug free.

About 70 staff members will be responsible for testing urine for prohibited substances.

Outside of the capital, events are also planned in Luang Prabang and Champassak provinces. Thirty doctors and nurses and 20 cleaning inspectors will be assigned to each province.

Dr Alongkone will pay special attention to ensuring Lao athletes do not accidentally consume medicines containing banned substances and medical staff will be trained on this issue.

“ Although this work is new and challenging, there is nothing to be worried about because we are well prepared and I personally gained experience at the Asian Games in Doha , Qatar , and the Athens Olympics. I have also worked on previous SEA Games and I will gain even more experience at the 2008 Olympics in China ,” he said.

He said members of the team that will conduct doping testing in Laos learnt their skills in China , Singapore , Malaysia , Thailand and the Philippines . China will send technical staff to help during the games.

The officials will also develop campaigns on issues of disease prevention and environmental protection.

These plans were approved at the 25 th SEA Games Council Meeting held last week in Vientiane.

By Souksakhone Vaenkeo
Vientianetimes