Olam Agri initiates nationwide health screening programme targeting over 6,000 bakers in Ghana
Accra, Ghana - Olam Agri’s Grain Business, operators of a state-of-the-art wheat mill in Tema and a leading manufacturer of wheat flour has collaborated with the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council and Twentyth Consult, to initiate a nationwide health screening programme for bakers.
The programme is part of the company’s comprehensive hygiene agenda under its flagship "Healthy Baker" initiative and is primarily aimed at educating and monitoring hygiene standards and compliance protocols at selected bakeries across the country. The initiative includes health screenings for conditions such as Hepatitis B, typhoid, and high blood pressure.
The health screening programme addresses the legal requirement for food vendors to provide an annual medical health certificate, an obligation of which many bakers and their workers are either unaware or unable to appreciate its importance. Regular health screening helps bakers to know their health status and enables them to comply with local regulations.
The ‘Healthy Baker’ initiative was launched by the company in 2022 and since then, well over 15 health screening drives have been conducted within the Tema and Ashaiman townships, Dansoman, Kaneshie, Alajo, and in selected communities in Accra and Kumasi. The screening is conducted by teams of medical professionals, including doctors, nurses and laboratory technicians.
This year’s round of "Healthy Baker" initiative is being rolled out in three phases, the first of which has commenced in the Tema and Ashaiman zones (August 7th to 8th, 2024). The second phase which follows soon after, is scheduled to cover the entirety of Accra, while the final phase will extend the program to Kumasi, Takoradi, Cape Coast, Agona Swedru, and Winneba, ensuring a comprehensive reach across major baking hubs targeting over 6,000 bakers in Ghana.
The current initiative aims to assess the health status of bakers, provide free consultations with health personnel, and issue free Medical Health Certificates from the Municipal Assembly. Additionally, it seeks to educate bakers on the importance of personal and bakery hygiene and help to promote behavioural and mind-set changes towards food safety and hygiene standards. Two health institutions and laboratories were assigned in Greater Accra to conduct the screenings, with doctors on-site to advise bakers on their results. Participants also received free de-wormers.
This initiative forms part of our commitment to promote health and safety in our communities. Regular health screening and education on food safety practices can help ensure that the bakers are in good health, which is crucial for maintaining food safety standards.
These activities complement the Grains Hygiene Standards Management (GHSM), designed to help bring bakeries in line with global food safety standards.
Baibhav Biswas,
Business Head of Olam Agri’s Grains Business in Ghana
Olam Agri has a history of engaging with large sections of the Ghanaian baking community through a number well-tailored initiatives like the ‘Bakers’ Conference’, ‘the Healthy Baker’ Initiative, and the ‘Grains of Friendship’ initiative. These initiatives provide powerful interactive platforms for imparting valuable knowledge on best practices in the baking industry and foster mutual understanding between bakers and the grains producer.
