The health control section at Doha Municipality has adopted an intensive work plan for daily inspection campaigns throughout Ramadan, the Ministry of Municipality said in a statement.
The campaigns started in mid-February, when 2,519 inspection tours were conducted and various food outlets and retailers were targeted. These resulted in the issuance of 55 violation reports based on Law No. 8 of 1990 on the regulation of human food control. Besides, six administrative closure decisions were issued for different outlets for periods ranging from five to 15 days. Further, 56 related complaints were received and handled by the section within 24 hours of receiving them.
Inspection campaigns were also carried out at popular catering kitchens, resulting in the issuance of six violation reports. Besides, intensive campaigns targeted food factories, warehouses and suppliers in the Industrial Area.
The departments and sections concerned at Al Rayyan Municipality have also put a work plan and inspection time schedule in place.
The municipal control department has adopted a work plan that involves conducting daily morning and evening inspection tours by its various sections at commercial shops and Al Sailiya Central Market. Besides, food establishments and outlets have been classified according to the potential risks involved and more campaigns will target them accordingly, and random food samples will be taken for examination.
The health control section will carry out daily intensive inspection tours at all commercial complexes, food facilities and outlets and food factories and manufacturers there to ensure their compliance with stipulation of Law No. 8 for 1990 on the regulation of human food control and other related standards. Awareness campaigns will also be intensified accordingly.
Meanwhile, more random food samples will be withdrawn from eateries and catering kitchens for examination at the Ministry of Public Health's central laboratories.
Inspection work during Ramadan will be carried out from 10am until 3pm and from 8pm until 1am in two shifts. Work at the public slaughterhouses will be done from Saturday until Thursday, from 9am to 4pm, while on Fridays work will be done from 7am to 10am and from 1pm to 4pm.
The health control section at Al Khor and Al Thakhira Municipality has prepared a comprehensive work plan, which includes intensifying inspection campaigns across its jurisdiction and targeting all food outlets and retailers.
Mohamed Ali al-Mohannadi, head of the section, said the work plan entails dividing inspection work into groups that will cover both the morning and evening shifts, with a special focus on the time of Iftar to ensure the health and safety of food products available in the local market.
Besides, random food samples will be taken for examination to the central laboratories to ensure compliance with the relevant standards. Accordingly, some 72 samples were sent to the labs for examinations.
Further, there will be a special focus on fruit and vegetable outlets, meat shops and slaughterhouses in addition to the fish market.