Posted on December, 6, 2018 at 10:14 am
EXPERTS from Africa and international agencies met yesterday in Dar es Salaam to draw up a roadmap for addressing food-borne diseases, food insecurity and poor nutrition in Africa.
These are said to be the major problems that hold back progressive growth and development of the continent.
“For Africa to develop, we need practical and action- oriented mechanisms to address food safety, nutrition and food security,” said Dorothy Gwagima, the Director of Preventive Services in the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children.
She was speaking during the official opening of the 9th Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security in Dar es Salaam, which has brought together African experts, researchers, government officials and representatives from international organisations such as World Food Programme and UNICEF.
Other participants were World Health Organisation (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, African Union Commission, NEPAD and Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA).
She said African countries face serious challenges when it comes to the promotion of sustainable food and nutrition security, food safety and wellbeing of Africans.
“WHO’s latest report on global estimates of food-borne diseases shows that almost one in 10 people fall ill every year from eating contaminated food and 420,000 die while children under five years of age are particularly at high risk, with 125 000 children dying from food-borne diseases every year,” she said, adding: “Nevertheless, the African region has the highest burden of food-borne diseases per population whereby more than 91 million people are estimated to fall ill and 137,000 die each year.
This demonstrates that African countries should consider setting priorities towards strengthening food safety control interventions in order to achieve food and nutrition security among other things.”
A representative of WFP and Country Director, Mr Michael Dunford, said ending malnutrition and improving food security and safety can only be achieved by addressing both the immediate and underlying causes.
For his part, Adam Fimbo, Acting TFDA Director General, described food safety as a fundamental determinant of public health, nutrition, food security and economy at large.
Source: Daily News