MBS Warns Against Forging Medical or Test Results for Food Handlers

Malawi-The Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) has issued a warning to the public and stakeholders, including catering service providers and food handlers, about the consequences of forging medical or test results for employees, writes Tionge Hara.

Such actions are punishable under the Bureau Act and could result in imprisonment, according to the Acting General Director of the MBS, Thomas Senganimalunje.

According to Senganimalunje, some catering service providers and food handlers do not arrange tests for their employees, while others are in the habit of falsifying results.

Senganimalunje emphasized the importance of regular medical examinations for those handling food, saying that it is essential to prevent the spread of contagious or communicable diseases.

"As one way of avoiding the transmission of contagious or communicable diseases when handling food, the clause of Malawi Standards 21 states that every person employed in food establishments shall be medically examined before employment, and periodical medical examinations of the employee shall be subsequently carried out every six months to ensure that they are free from contagious or communicable diseases," he said.

He added that the record of the examinations should be signed by a registered medical practitioner and maintained.

“If at any time, the medical officer is of the opinion that a person is unfit for employment on the grounds that their continuation will involve the danger of contamination of food and articles, that person shall not be allowed to work until they are declared fit,” he said.

The Malawi Bureau of Standards is a statutory organization established in 1972 by an Act of Parliament (Cap 51:02 (revised as Act No.14 of 2021) with a mandate to promote metrology standardization and quality assurance of commodities and the manufacturer's production, processing, or treatment thereof.

The bureau's duty is to promote quality assurance in food processing, catering services, and the well-being of consumers.