The Health Department of Palembang is READY for 26th SEA Games 2011

The Health Department of Palembang is looking forward to the upcoming 26th SEA Games, which will be held in the city. As appreciation for the upcoming event, the Department commits to running hygiene and sanitary supervision and training at various public spaces. Activities in the program include:

1.    Supervision and training for culinary tourism sites located along the shores of Musi River as well as establishing meetings with both organizers and merchants to discuss results of the periodic examinations of food and beverage samples. The expected outcome is safer and healthier culinary tourism as well as comfort for visitors.

2.    Establishing food-handling training for restauranteurs, particularly in the small business sector. From 2003 – 2010 the Health Department has trained approximately 600 restauranteurs. Nonetheless, it is the commitment held by all food business-owners that matters the most in producing quality and hygienic food.
(Photo 1 & 2 page 2): Sanitary inspection of food-production equipments in order to obtain certification. The inspection includes production location and environment; equipments; and processing methods. The certification number consists of 12 digits, which includes food material codes, areal codes, and packaging codes.

3.    Supervision and training for catering business owners in Palembang. The presence of these business owners and their cuisine creates a wider variety of Palembang dishes. Food samples are frequently examined while samples from cooking equipments are taken by a swipe-method. The supervision and training is expected to result in healthier raw food materials from farms and markets, and therefore, the production of safer dishes for consumption.

4.    Training and improving skill and knowledge of sanitary officials at various clinics. Sanitary officials in clinics are the forerunners in improving public health. Additionally, the sanitary officials play an important role as information providers and health facilitators in local clinics in their respective areas. With new skills and knowledge, the officials are expected to contribute in reducing environmental diseases while increasing the quality of their surroundings. These new skills and knowledge will hopefully enable them to handle crises with little or no outside assistance. Those achieving outstanding performances are given a reward from the Health Department  - an attempt to further motivate sanitary officials.

5.    Supervision and training as well as periodic water sample-taking from water depots, public wells, and the Musi River. A standardized water-testing method is expected to produce results used as reference information to be shared with the population and as a basis for further action. The quality of water is judged based on three conditions: physical, chemical, and bacteriological. To be considered as physically healthy, water must be clear, containing no taste or odor. Chemically, water must not contain chemicals in numbers exceeding the approved parameter; and bacteriologically, it must not contain phatogenic bacteria.

6.    As waste, garbage is often thrown away without consideration for recycling. So far, only a small number of waste is recycled. Needless to say, unrecycled garbage becomes a source of pollution – not only is it visually unpleasant, but also creates a repulsive odour. This is particularly the case with moist waste, which also attracts flies and as a result, become one of the largest sources for a number of illnesses. Therefore, garbage waste is one of Palembang’s Health Department’s main focuses. One way to control diseases is by spraying anti-insectiside at temporary and permanent garbage tips frequently. The decrease in the number of flies is expected to minimize infectious diseases. According to the HL. Blum’s theory, public health is affected by several contributing factors: hereditary, health services, life-style, and environment. With a 60% contribution, environmental factors is the most influential factor towards public health.

7.    Supervision and training for hotels and guest-houses. Hotels and guest-houses are some of the most popular accomodations used by visitors staying in Palembang. It is important therefore, that these types of accommodations are free of insects and rodents. Hotels and guest-houses must be well contructed to minimize accidents and not pollute their surroundings thus not becoming a contributing factor towards various diseases. Therefore, all facilities must offer safety and comfort by providing clean and dry rooms as well as sufficient amounts of clean water.

8.    Supervision and training on hospital environmental health and counseling-official training. Apart from being a medium for contagious diseases, hospitals are also large contributing factors to pollution. Therefore, various actions are also implemented in hospitals in the city. Environmental Health Aspects in hospitals such as Waste Management Installations (IPAL) must be implemented. Liquid wastes deposited in the main receiver must first be filtered in the septic tank in such a way that wastewater produced  meets quality standards for the hospital. To prevent infections and to supervise surrounding areas, hospital sanitary officials are given information and knowledge to efficiently fulfil their responsibilities as environment-factor  agents in their respective areas. The City Health Department holds trainings for hospital sanitary officials in Palembang and symbolicly donates housekeeping equipments to continuously support their respective hospitals’ environmental hygiene and sanitation efforts.
 

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