GUIDELINES FOR FOODBORNE DISEASE SURVEILLANCE

One of the activities of the Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority is to ensure that food products circulating in the market are safe, wholesome and fit for human consumption. 

Foodborne diseases can be infectious or toxic in nature and are caused or thought to be caused by consumption of contaminated food  

These Guidelines are aimed to assist health workers in making investigation of foodborne diseases and how to make notification to relevant authorities and hence prompt intervention to be undertaken. 

The guidelines focus on three main areas:

1.     identification of the foodborne disease

2.     surveillance methods and reporting

3.     database and data use

 The guidelines have the following sections:

•  Methods of surveillance

•  Levels of surveillance and reporting (ward, District, Regional Health Offices and the Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority

•  Co-ordination

• Chart of characteristics, clinical features and specific control measures of Food Borne Diseases

• Foodborne disease investigation form

• Foodborne outbreak surveillance form for outpatient clinics

• Laboratory foodborne disease surveillance form

• Outbreak summary sheet

 The guidelines will be available soon at this website. For more information contact TFDA