Surge in Food Poisoning Cases Sparks Concern in Morocco

Faced with what they consider a "tsunami of food poisoning," these associations are sounding the alarm. They doubt the effectiveness of the measures recently announced by the Minister of the Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit, to reduce cases of food poisoning, including the creation of 130 municipal health control offices with a budget of around 1.040 billion dirhams. These offices should be accompanied by 260 doctors, 130 veterinarians, 260 nurses, and 260 public health technicians.

"These offices are not equipped to control the safety of meals offered in food establishments, as they involve stakeholders whose training has no connection with this type of control," they observe. Instead of these offices, the NGOs are calling for the creation of "an independent institution dedicated to this task" and "strengthening the requirements of local authorities regarding the obtaining of a diploma to work in the catering sector." "The number of these cases could double in the future, as the measures taken by the government to limit them are neither effective nor appropriate," says Bouazza Kharrati, president of the Moroccan Union of Consumer Rights.

In a statement to Hespress, Kharrati explained that "maintaining this control distributed among different entities, in particular the National Office of Food Safety (ONSSA), the Ministry of the Interior, local authorities, the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, while it legally falls under the competence of ONSSA, makes these efforts ineffective and requires a thorough review." For the expert, the controls should not be limited only "to food and meal sales outlets, as this serves no purpose. Inspections must cover the entire chain, from field to plate," he argued, before questioning: "Does limiting inspections to establishments guarantee the safety of meats or food products used?"

"If strict and effective supervision was exercised over restaurants and fast-food establishments, and severe sanctions were applied to those who violate health and safety standards, there would not be such a continuous increase in cases of poisoning in most Moroccan cities," said Wadie Madih, president of the National Federation of Consumer Associations (FNAC), deploring the "great laxity" that this sector is experiencing in Morocco. "Today, anyone can start selling fast and light meals, without the slightest knowledge of the legal provisions in force or the quality and health and safety standards to be respected, particularly in terms of hygiene."