SA has three times fewer environmental health practitioners per 10‚000 than the ratio recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). In the wake of the world’s worst listeriosis outbreak on record — in which at least 190 have died and close to 1‚000 have been infected — questions are being asked about whether SA has enough people checking the health and safety standards for food production. It seems that‚ at least in terms of the number of environmental health practitioners‚ the country is missing the mark by some way. The WHO recommends a ratio of one environmental health practitioner for every 10‚000 citizens — but South African Institute of Environmental Health president Dr Selva Mudaly say SA is currently closer to one for every 30‚000 South Africans. "We have not met that requirement because of finances and other requirements besides environmental health. There’s water‚ there’s sanitation. So a municipality has many challenges." Mudaly says SA needs a better plan for food ...
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