World Health Day 2015 - From Farm to Plate: Make Food Safe
The first World Health Day was initiated by the members of the World Health Assembly in 1948. It was created to provide an opportunity to focus world attention on a health problem or issue that deserves special consideration. Each year a theme is selected to highlight a priority area in health. The Ministry of Health of Cambodia is hosting the event, reiterating their commitment towards public health.
This year’s theme “From Farm to Plate: Make Food Safe” aims to alert people working in different government sectors, farmers, manufacturers, retailers, health practitioners – as well as consumers – about the importance of food safety to ensure that the food on our plates is safe to eat.
Worldwide, unsafe food is linked to the deaths of an estimated 2 million people annually and is the second leading cause of death in children aged under 5 years. Unsafe food creates a vicious cycle of diarrhoea and malnutrition, threatening the nutritional status of the most vulnerable. Where food supplies are insecure, people tend to shift to less healthy diets and consume more unsafe foods – in which chemical, microbiological and other hazards pose health risks. Food containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances is responsible for more than 200 known diseases, ranging from diarrhoea to cancers.
As our food supply becomes increasingly globalized, the need to strengthen food safety systems in and between all countries is becoming more and more evident. That is why the Ministry of Health, FAO and WHO with concerned Ministries and partners are promoting efforts to improve food safety, from farm to plate (and everywhere in between) on World Health Day with the objective of preventing and controlling foodborne diseases. Food Safety is an issue in Cambodia like everywhere else in the world. Last year, 8 foodborne disease outbreaks, involving 464 cases and including 8 deaths, were notified to the Communicable Disease Control (CDC) Department.
Preventive and control measures for food safety require strong collaboration efforts within sectors. The Government of Cambodia recognises the need for action, and has shown great achievement through the collaborative work of 6 ministries on agreed Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for investigating foodborne disease outbreaks. The Ministries involved include the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Tourism and the General Department of Customs and Excise. The SOP defines the roles and actions for each ministry and outlines collaboration mechanisms to strengthen the intersectoral foodborne disease outbreak investigation and response system in Cambodia.
Everyone can contribute to making food safe. Food handlers and consumers understand the food they sell and eat and can make informed choices about handling and preparing food safely
The Minister of Health, H.E. Dr. Mam Bunheng, would like to encourage everyone to adopt the following WHO Five Keys to Safer Food. These are simple precautions which can protect everyone and their families when handling and preparing food:
- Keep clean and wash your hands before handling food and during food preparation
- Separate raw and cooked food
- Cook thoroughly, especially meat, poultry, eggs and seafood
- Keep food at safe temperatures
- Use safe water and raw materials
For further information please ontact:
Ministry of Health World Health Organization
Dr Ly Sovann: Tel +855 12 825 424 Ms. Vicky Houssiere: Tel +855 92 554 100
More information here