Cash up front for health checks

HEALTH inspectors have won their battle with the Health Ministry over having to purchase testing samples from their own pockets.
A statement from the Ministry said yesterday that from August 1, inspectors would be able to obtain cash up front to buy their samples after a special fund was created for the purpose.

The inspectors last week refused to buy any more samples for the Health Ministry’s screening programme as long as they were expected to pay for them out of their own pocket.

Ten to 15 samples are taken by the department’s inspectors every day, including fruit and vegetables, nuts, ice cream, ready made foods (from restaurants or fast food establishments), bakery goods and so on. They said it was costing them up to £200 or £300 a month and that sometimes it took the Ministry three months reimburse them.

The new fund was set up after the personal intervention of the new Health Minister Costas Kadi, the statement said. Inspectors will resume taking samples from Monday.

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