Thiruvananthapuram: The State Government has made health cards mandatory for all hotel employees as part of strict measures to ensure hygiene at food establishments in the wake of recent back-to-back food poisoning incidents.

Any hotel or restaurant found employing staff who fail to take health cards will not be allowed to function from February 1, Health Minister Veena George said.

If it’s found that a worker doesn’t possess a health card, the institution will be closed down in no time and its details published.

The new rule, aimed at curbing the spread of food-borne illnesses, is applicable to all kinds of food-making and distribution institutions.

The workers should undergo medical check-ups and obtain the certificates as per the Food Safety and Standards Act guidelines. The institutions will be forced to down shutters upon failing to complete the procedures and upon producing fake certificates during inspections. There are several complaints of such workers using false certificates.

The state food safety officials will hold inspections at the dwelling places of hotel workers with the help of the Labour department. The deployment of Health Inspectors of the Health Department for conducting various food safety inspections will also be considered.

The minister added that the food safety commissioner was directed to conduct detailed examinations of food establishments to detect even minute lapses.

Blood test, physical examination to obtain health card

The health cards should be obtained from registered medical practitioners. The hotel employees should undergo blood tests and physical examinations. Mainly, the tests will be done to diagnose infection, communicable illnesses, and skin diseases besides ensuring proper eyesight. Upon any doubt in the initial test results, the workers can ask for a repeat blood test. The doctors should ensure that the individual in question has been administered vaccines.

The model of the certificate can be accessed from the website of the Food Safety Commissionerate. The certificates and the test results should be kept at workplaces and produced upon demand by the officials. The health cards should be renewed once in six months by undergoing medical examinations, including blood tests.

HC seeks report

In light of the recent food poisoning incidents, the Kerala High Court on Wednesday sought an explanation report from the Health and Family Welfare Department Secretary.

The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chaly asked the Health Department to include the actions taken against the offenders in each case.

The HC had taken a case suo moto, when a student died of food poisoning in Kasaragod last year. Following this, the Kerala government had submitted a report with the steps taken to ensure food safety in the state. The HC took up the plea again in light of the recent events.

The HC had recently sought the government's explanation on media reports about dead cattle meat being brought to Kerala from Tamil Nadu's Dindigul.

112 food institutions closed down in just 10 days
The food safety department conducted inspections at over 3000 food-making and distribution institutions in the last 10 days. A total of 112 food establishments were forcibly shut down after being found to be functioning in unhygienic conditions and without licenses. Notices have been issued to another 578 eateries.

The latest food poisoning incident was reported from North Paravur, where over 70 people were admitted to hospitals after consuming food from a restaurant there. Similarly, a nurse with the Kottayam Government Medical College hospital developed uneasiness after having food from a restaurant and died after being in treatment for a few days.