Gerald Giam
I am very concerned over what seems to be a lack of efficient procedures in place to avert mass public health tragedies like the recent Geylang Serai rojak stall food poisoning incident.
Three lives have been lost (including one unborn baby), and 146 people have been affected by the food contamination, 48 of whom were hospitalised.
CNA reported that stall patrons started to fall sick between April 2nd (Thu) and 4th (Sat) with food poisoning symptoms such as severe abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhoea. However it was only at 8 am on Sat April 4th that officials from the National Environment Agency (NEA) arrived to shut down the stall.
In another CNA report, a 44-year old woman said she and her mother stopped at the rojak stall for lunch on Friday, and less than six hours later, both women were vomiting and had stomach cramps so severe an ambulance rushed them to Changi General Hospital (CGH). They said it was “mayhem” there and that “there was a huge crowd, many of them holding their stomachs and appearing in pain… I asked around whether they also ate rojak from that stall. They all said yes.”
The woman who miscarried had eaten at the stall on Friday afternoon. She said the rojak smelled unusual, but carried on eating it.
Why did it take so long for NEA to shut down the stall? If people started to fall sick on Thursday, why was the stall allowed to remain open for the entire Friday?
The NEA graded the stall’s hygiene with a “C” grade back in December. While I do not expect NEA officers to check on the stall every day, given the barely passing grade the stall achieved, I feel it deserved tighter scrutiny from health officials.
One 54-year old housewife said that “environment in the centre (Geylang Serai temporary market) is not very clean. Sometimes there is rubbish around and it is very near to the wet market.”
More importantly, surely there should have been a more efficient mechanism to alert NEA of a stall selling contaminated food. Did the doctors that the victims visited on Thursday report the food poisoning cases to NEA immediately after attending to their patients? Is there even a mechanism to do so?
This serves as a lesson that all cases of food poisoning should be taken very seriously. Victims of food poisoning will almost always know the source of their infection. If doctors are required by law to inform the Ministry of Health when they diagnose infectious diseases like SARS, they should also be required to report any cases of food poisoning to the NEA immediately.
The moment a report is made, NEA officers should be activated immediately to investigate the stall or restaurant, and shut it down if necessary to prevent further cases of poisoning. While this could be quite a strain on resources, it is a necessary investment in the interest of public health.
At the same time, there should be an efficient way for consumers to report contaminated food. Not all food poisoning victims visit doctors, and many would detect bad food from its smell before consuming it. There should be a website or hotline for people to report such incidences easily. A general number or website feedback form does not really suffice, given the urgency in which such reports must be acted upon.
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Headline picture from Straits Times.
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Given the reputation of our elites, I’m sure our they will find some excuse to tolak the blame away from them again.
The reply will be along the line “This is an honest mistake”
They have. NEA was informed about rats problem in the temp market as early as Feb. It was also reported that NEA is not responsible for the hygiene of temporary market. Then who is?
peasant rojak seller will be fined, jailed and hang
as for elites, “none of our business hoh, even though we in charge but who tell u all to itchy mouth buy rojok food to eat, pls upgrade to FRENCH CUSINE next time!”
It’s one thing to blame NEA for slow action, and another to start using this as another excuse to imply that the so called elites do not care and are irresponsible. Readers, please exercise some prudence in what you say.
In this case, the constructive thing would be for us to learn how to deal with food poisoning cases more quickly. If it were a mistake, it would indeed be an honest one.
My sincere condolences to the families and freinds of the three individuals.
The Elites (i.e. Health Ministry,National Environment Agency, Straits Times) have already started pitting the blame on the stallholder solely.
The ST today insists that the stallholder mislead the public by not displaying the correct hygiene grade.Is this offense punishable by law? I agree that stalls with poorer gradings deserved tighter scrutiny from health officials and more regular visits.I am starting to have doubts of my friendly food vendors even with the ‘B’ gradings.Singapore is turning into a ‘caveat emptor’ state.
I believe that there are a lot of contributing factors which led to this tragedy.Although the first victim tested positive for the bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus, death is uncommon unless the person has underlying medical conditions.The ST report was misleading and they should have consulted more medical professionals.
The Geylang Serai Temporary market is not the only problem with hygiene woes.Other Temporary Markets also have this rat and bird problem.I suggest that the NEA do a thorough clean up of all temporary markets in Singapore.Temporary markets do not have the facilities and a better system of cleanliness.
The stallholders of this Temporary market moved into these premises in March 2006 and are moving into the new premises towards the end of the year.Does it take 46 months or 3 and 3/4 years to build a new double storey permanent building?I won’t be surprised that this was deliberately done to sell the management of rental space to the highest bidder like the Sengkang market.I think it is too late for the overdue spring-cleaning to take place.
I cannot believe that the NEA is shifting responsibility for the hygiene of the temporary market to the management committee when these Temporary markets are more in pressing need for cleanliness and facilities.They have even named the management committee overseer.
My next concern is the ‘HFMD cases near epidemic level’ report in the ST.Almost 5,000 cases in the first 13 weeks is alarming.Overcrowding is a serious problem in Singapore and the Elites are encouraging this.Hardly surprising since most of their investments have fallen foul.Imagine raising the population to 6.5 Million or 8 Million and the revenue that comes with ‘indirect’ taxation.
My fellow Singaporeans, we should always look at the apex.The Writer Gerald Giam is correct when all of us should be “concerned over what seems to be a lack of efficient procedures in place to avert mass public health tragedies like the recent Geylang Serai rojak stall food poisoning incident.”
Tolak the blame again? – I totally agree with you. Tolak is the name of the game for the top elites. The irony is, these elites still get big fat pay and bonuses. The truth is rats can be found in most hawker centres and coffee shops. But who cares really. Over since the civil service outsourced many of its services to third parties vendors, the service standards including the cleaning service has dropped. No one really bothers and supervison of the vendors is just not there. Something is not right with the outsourcing scheme.
all these years of my experience doing business, the common thing that i observed when ever i been to statboard offices (quite nos of them), the only common triat of the workers in their big spread office is that they are so free at around 4-5 pm and their spirit of working attitude is that ‘ bo chap’. you tend to get the feeling that the less they know, the better it is for them as no blames to bared.
see what happened nowadays with so many unbelievable things going on. to me, is all expected at the rate they behaviour themself.
Maybe there’s too many rats in Singapore….. Big ones and small ones all running around and causing so many problems for the people.
To Joshua Wong on ‘It’s one thing to blame NEA for slow action, and another to start using this as another excuse to imply that the so called elites do not care and are irresponsible. Readers, please exercise some prudence in what you say.’
NEA is linked to our honourable elites of the PAP regime. Surely when NEA is at fault (for not doing the right thing quickly) our elites are to be blame for their lack of foresight and for their lousy management.
One death is too many or is it just one and thus insignificant.
I value life, not just mine but also the poor and the innocent.
We cannot wait for an accident to happen to implement precaution. Remember ZD?
Most if not all foodcourts/kopitiams are using contract cleaners to clean the tables and more importantly to wash and supposed to also dry the spoons, forks, bowls, cups,plates etc.. On many occasion I found the aforesaid items wet, oily and have even stains of chili and food. I request that the proper authorities ensure stringent checks on the washing points and the job done therein.
Joshua,
3 life are lost in such a pity way. There is no proper checks and procedures just like how mas selamat runs away. This whole thing smells the same. The elites should be diligent in making sure public health is never compromised. If the two deaths are your friends or relatives, what will you do? I dont even bother to blame the PAP regime anymore….i am tired….is always the same. Push the blame or keep really quiet for weeks before releasing the results. Any diff?
FG
/// There should be a website or hotline for people to report such incidences easily. ///
How about TOC?
I hope NEA, given the wealth of singapore, work harder to check on stalls that passed checks and rated C.
1 life too many.
Your attention is paramount.
Please patrol more. Imagine if NEA had patrolled the stall the day before or on that day itself.
Or was there any thing left unchecked? I assume not.
I always assume NEA very good wan. Good good wan.
worker harder is good for everyone and lives.
I don’t want to blame the “elite” or the “gahmen”, and I WON’T.
But I hope someone takes up my suggestion.
Have an online reporting system for food poisoning or suspected food poisoning. All doctors to be logged in and to key in details such as the stall/place of dining, once a patient reports food poisoning.
Easy for me to say, but also very easy to implement. It’s all computerised and it takes a doctor maybe 1 min to key in the data. The system can be expanded to include all diseases which should be reported (such as dengue which IIRC has some reporting system in place already)
When the folks at CDC or wherever get a cluster of cases from the same place, they can take action immediately.
What I see now is a lack of communication. But we can always learn from incidents. I think we should really judge the authorities by their reaction to this case, but they can’t forsee everything lah. I mean, terrorist can escape, right?
I don’t expect NEA to be able to prevent all such food poisoning….but the way they (in cahoot with ST) tried to shift blame away from themselves is simply disgusting!!
I ever seen some of our so-called elites eating at hawker stalls like on sundays after some grassroots events where some very friendly grassroots people , some businessmen, will have meal with them, wearing xxxx grc t-shirts.
I feel that not only must all mere mortals be careful , they should also be careful given they also eat there , altho i only see this rarely.
That the NEA claimed that they are satisfied with their current procedure is even more shocking. Such people is a danger to the health and safety of Singaporeans. They must be removed immediately.
Case of NEA being rattled by rats , rats ,r ats – when those rats squeak -can they squeak through in tandem and ………….
I suppose no one is responsible? Else who?
Maybe we just move on is it?
Please advise if this understanding is wrong.
Three years to clean the market after 3 person pay their life. Then the department in charge, are they doing their round if they are not life losses.
Maybe , this time who is to be sack again……..
As the government’s push for a larger population, such health issues will surface more frequently & much easily. So, I want to also highlight the huge presence of Mynah birds apart from rats in hawker centers and food centers.
Some years ago, I have brought up the matter of those pesky Mynah birds in Singapore to NEA, and appreantly, they have ‘better’ things to do and the Mynah population here proliferates unabated.
With their aim to UP Singapore’s populace with the injection of FTs and Foreign Immigrants, the authorities shouldn’t be so COMPLACENT about these issues of cleanliness, rat infestations, and the ever increasing presence of Mynah birds. Lets hope, that they do not wait for a Health Disaster to happen in order for them to do what they SHOULD do. Just imagine how vulnerable we will ALL be should an outbreak of Bird Flu happens – these Mynah birds will be a real task to handle by then, wouldn’t they? Similarly, just look at this Food Poisoning incident; the audacity to publish RAT INFESTATION but points finger at hawker in question?
So, when Bird Flu happens here, WHO will they point their Elite fingers at???
Interesting. I wonder if others took it for granted as well?
Rather than point fingers here – no matter of scrutiny can eradicate this – it would be good to remind ourselves that the safest approach is always ‘Buyer Beware’, even in ‘clean’ Singapore.
You know I spoke to my friend darkness about this and he said all these NEA people should be sent to central africa to live on twigs and insects because they’re a bunch of useless people; this is not the first time this has happened; the other time was when someone decided to wipe his ass with a chocolate cake and that nearly killed off a few aunties in Katong; since then we have been advocating for full implementation of HACCP-Based Standard Operating Procedures to better manage retail of food – its strange when you consider per capita; we probably have the highest number of hawkers per head; but we dont even have basic certification for food safety that most countries abide too – this was avoidable and its sad that it has happened.
Now they are pinning the blame on rats.
SD
Reminds me of the time several years ago when I eat curry fish head at the civil service club at Dempsey Road. The curry was piping hot but something was amiss with the smell.
The bacteria may be killed by the heat but the food is already poisoned and had toxic contents. Musking the smell with strong curry may be one way to hide the rotten food.
There is really not much quality control at the vendor hands at Geylang Serai and if they want to cash in at the expense of innocent citizens, they must be subject to laws of criminal acts for killing 3 people already.
The MOE and NEA must act and act quickly and decisively and not just give statement that they are satified with the present system- it seems that they are rather lethargic here.
If the present system is satisfactory then there should not be a single death !
World Class City with 3rd World Food Operators or poor Hygiene Standards
Time to get real and step enforcements as follows:
1) Check on 24 hrs Restaurants for food contamination.?
2) Ensure Hawkers wash cut vegetables before cooking? Often missing out!
3) Health Screening for Hawkers under Category C.
4) Ensure Contract Cleaners use disinfectants to clean tables.
5) Bannned over used frying oil or re-cycled oil that is off specs in color like dark tea, used for Goreng Pisang and others
I agree with the writer, Gerald Giam, that the reporting system can and must be be improved.
When I was operating a school canteen stall, NEA inspectors were in the school within hours when the school reported some mild food poisoning. Operator was thoroughly questioned on food preparation process, sample food was taken back for inspection, stocks were taken back and supplier was also inspected. All stall operators were immediately ordered to thoroughly clean the stalls and sent for medical tests the following day.
If the first food poisoning case was attended to on Thu, why were NEA inspectors
inspecting the stalls only on Saturday? By than, evidence may be removed, discarded or even consumed.
If NEA inspectors are so prompt in ordering school canteen to do a thorough cleaning, I cannot understand why there was a delay in ordering a thorough cleaning of Geylang Serai market.
Well said laworder…
1 life is too many….they don’t even have a system..even after SARS…
jokers…..
it is the fault of singaporeans who are too complacent!!!!! and thus taichi the blame away.
hope nea will investigate which offical should be responsible for this issue and ask him to say sorry and recieve punishment.
how is tt now?
and the one who is responsible for the escape?
who is next?
Complacency?
Who is complacent?
What happen to spg now. It is getting from bad to worse.
hey, who cares about peasants health or well fare?
Your parents or friends perhaps, but not the elites, we are just a number game to them. How many people would vote for them, how many more babies they need, how many …
Do you think minsters or elites eat at hawker centres at a regular basis?
They are not subjected to the daily risk that all of us are taking or “eating”.
Wake up people, our talking here is just like buzzing sound on their ears, annoying but they have the media to brain wash every1. The whole thing would just die down after they put on some acting, broadcast on News, showing elites spraying water at the hawker centre floor. Just 10 seconds shot and they “care”!
I am all for higher standards of cleanliness and hygiene in food centres and restaurants.
However, are we victims of our own cleanliness?
I once had a doctor friend who brought his children regularly to JB to eat at not-so-clean stalls. When he was in India, he told me that his family ate food from the road-side food sellers.
When I was young, I used to swim in flood prone Geylang, swallowed some dirty water too, but none the worse for that.
On my last trip to a not-so-clean Asean country, I ate at a relatively clean restaurant and had a bad diarrohoea. What has happened to my resistance? Could it be just the age? My host, an even older man, was perfectly fine after consuming the same food!
I’m not suggesting that we go back to the past `dirty’ standard, but perhaps we should think of a better strategy for our people.
Can you imagine our soldiers having diarrohoea in the middle of a battle field?
My personal experience with NEA has been ok so far.. when I suffered from severe food poisoning after eating at a foodstall, an officer called me the next day after my complaint to notify me of the result of their follow up inspection.
having said that, I have no idea why they took 2 days for this. I’d guess it’s a point failure in the chain of communication e.g. employee who sent the info on wrongly, or hospital forgot to pass on info to NEA, and not a problem with the system as a whole… shouldn’t “overblame”.
also, if i’m not wrong NEA has a hotline 1800 CALL-NEA which I used earlier. I don’t remember clearly, but service was good… or at least was not bad enough to make me remember..
hope the investigation will be a fair one and any government offical if found to be responsible should be deal with seriously.
22 CJ)
“So, when Bird Flu happens here, WHO will they point their Elite fingers at???”
well, it becomes easily transmittable, how about they don’t have to do it? since the population may be wiped out?
Poor NEA they must be very overwork as I reported on a dirty stall 3days ago and I am still waiting for their and action……
1) the shop holder has been doing rojak for over 20 years… this is his first time he has a case of food contamination….
2) the lab tests reveal the patients went down due to contamination of sea food contents… but the patients said only the gravy smelt wrong and the gravy has no sea food content…. so what was contaminated ?
seems like the food contamination is due to something beyond the owner… seems like the rats probably played a role… could be more also cos NEA is now investigating the mee siam shop that is next to the rojak shop…
The elite ministers can only show outrage to who? the stall holders, the market management or his own NEA staff. Can’t he just say ‘Very Sorry” to the affected families and he take full responsibility for the incident that costs three lives and he will investigate the matter and look into ways to improve the hygiene standards of all markets and hawkers centres in Singapore.
Its seem that ‘Sorry’ is the most difficult word for them to say.
how can we say we have world class government when rats make their rampage just like the third world countries ?!?!
Enforcement of regulations already prescribe falls under the purview of the Perm Sec isn’t it so?…
Why the delay? why the Delay? Maybe, he is still busy organising his long expensive holiday photos (on facebook maybe… it is the new frenzy now amongst some civil servants)
what was it again best talents for top posts?
So, what is the answer to asymptomatic TB infections?
singapore IS known to be very densely populated.
MRTs . Tried it before?
Bus. Tried it before?
Malls. Tried it before?
PC Show, IT Show. tried it before?
I like to know what solution do they have?
With so many from 3rd world coming here, would these tourists even know they have asymptomatic TB?
Is Asymptomatic TB infectious?
How many already have Asymptomatic TB?
By virtue of the name, I suspect, no one knows the exact number.
Otherwise, prove me wrong.
I’ve written in more detail about how an Integrated Food Contamination Reporting System can be implemented: http://geraldgiam.sg/2009/04/food-contamination-alert-system-is-possible/
I am fully satisfied with the post, It is not only interesting but also is a informative article. Can you please provide me some more links for similar articles.
I am currently suffering salmonella food poisoning from the macdonalds at boat key. Bright green diarreah, bad headache, stomach cramps etc from a chicken burger bought there about 9pm thursday night. It was the only thing i’d eaten since a salad at midday and 3 hours later it hit me. I can find no where to report this incident other than writing to “contact us” on the macdonalds website. I have been unable to go to a doctor due to needing to stay close to the bathroom in my flat and i hardly have the energy to walk. Why is there no reporting procedure?
Maybe there’s too many rats in Singapore….. Big ones and small ones all running around and causing so many problems for the people.