The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority has launched a two-day special drive against the canteens of major hospitals across the province. According to the spokesperson while releasing details, told that inspections were conducted at district headquarters hospitals along with other public and private hospitals in Peshawar, Mardan, Malakand, Hazara, Kohat, Bannu, and DI Khan divisions.
The details further exposed that a significant number of complaints were received from various cities across the province regarding the sale of substandard food products and kebabs in the premises of hospitals, and unhygienic conditions in hospital canteens in Peshawar. In response, surprise raids were conducted on canteens of government and private hospitals, including Lady Reading Hospital and Sifat Ghayoor Shaheed Memorial Hospital, as well as hospitals on Warsak and Ring Road.
The canteen at Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar was found to have extremely poor hygiene conditions during the raid, leading to its immediate sealing and imposition of heavy fines. Additionally, after inspections of hospital canteens province-wide, improvement notices were issued.
Director General of the Food Authority, Waseef Saeed, while applauding the efforts of inspection teams, emphasized that there would be no compromise on health standards and vowed to eradicate malpractices across the province.
Provincial Minister for Food Zahir Shah Toru directed food safety teams to ensure regular inspections of school and hospital canteens to maintain strict compliance. The minister extended that those who are found involved in adulteration should be dealt with iron hands.
