The Ministry of Health (Minsa) announced the launch of an operation inside and outside the grounds of the La Chorrera Fair to verify the sanitary conditions of food stalls and the authenticity of health cards. In the coming months, the regional director of Minsa stated, a regulation will be implemented that will restrict individuals caught with a fake health card from obtaining the document for an undetermined period. The goal, according to Jorge Melo, regional director of the entity in West Panama, is to ensure that the population attending the fair has the certainty of consuming food in establishments that comply with hygiene standards. Additionally, the expiration date of all merchandise stored in processed food sales outlets will be verified, Melo said, who also urged the public to be attentive to the expiration date of the products they purchase. Melo emphasized that the personnel in charge of the operations are trained to detect falsified health cards, adding that this document has a security code. One of the points that will be emphasized to merchants will be the cold chain, which is essential for the preservation of meat products. The operations, Melo specified, will be carried out at different times, for which personnel has been enabled, adding that the Minsa's intention is not to 'overstep' the merchants. The Minsa official highlighted that during the days of the La Chorrera Fair, personnel will be enabled for the immediate application of sanctions, which range from $500.00 to $1,000. In addition to the economic sanction, the immediate closure of the sales stall could be ordered.
Panama's Ministry to Inspect Sanitary Conditions at La Chorrera Fair
Panamanian authorities are conducting an operation to inspect food stalls and health cards at the La Chorrera Fair. New sanctions are being introduced for merchants with fake documents and violators of sanitary standards.
