Domestic Bursars and Matrons from Senior High Schools (SHS) in the Eastern Region have received a training workshop on Good Hygienic Practices (GHPs) to enhance their knowledge.
The workshop, held in Koforidua, was organized by the Eastern Regional Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).
The participated schools included the Ghana Senior High School, Islamic Girls SHS, Pentecost Senior High School, Pope John SHS, Ofori Panin SHS, and W.B.M Zion SHS.
Addressing participants, Madam Anita Owusu-Kuffour, Eastern Regional Head of the FDA, said the purpose of practising good hygiene was to prevent contamination hazards in food, making sure that the food served is eventually safe to eat.
She explained that the scope for good catering practices involved layout and fabrication, personnel hygiene, raw material acquisition, cold storage facilities, storage and control.
The rest were food process control, food transportation, display and service, equipment and utensils, water supply and storage, waste management, controlling pests, records and documentation.
She urged the matrons to apply the knowledge imparted to improve students’ health.
Moreover, she assured them of another session of training to equip the Heads of the Senior High Schools on how to design the structures and screen all openings to prevent food poisoning by rodents.
Ms Faustina Ofori, Matron of the Seventh Day Advent (SDA) Senior High School on behalf of her colleagues, requested the FDA officials to meet the kitchen staff and interact with them on kitchen ethics.
Mr Godfried Ofoe Caesar, the Eastern Regional School Health Education Programme Coordinator (SHEP), expressed gratitude to the FDA for the health education organized for the matrons and domestic bursars, and appealed for more of such workshops to be organized in the rest of the Senior High Schools.
He advised participants to always work in close proximity to hand washing facilities to prevent infections and the spread of diseases.
He urged the matrons to frequently go to the hospital for health screening while not yet sick and in their apparently healthy outlook to detect any hidden and potential disease that could occur in future.