On World Food Safety Day, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched a National Food Chain Policy to ensure safe and suitable food for customers.
The policy is intended to create a resilient system that will provide consumers with safe and appropriate food.
It is also intended to address overlaps and clarify the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders along the food chain.
The program, dubbed "Safer food, greater health," was launched in Accra by Minister of Health Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, who emphasized that it was a step forward in food safety.
"This policy will serve as a guideline and remind us that winning is a shared responsibility," the minister explained. "Those who are tasked must work cooperatively with other agencies to ensure they deliver on their mandate."
"Even though we have made considerable progress in food safety, there is still much more to be done; there is a need to improve safety standards across the food value chain for improved health outcomes," he added.
Mr Agyeman-Manu noted that the policy's aims were to strengthen food safety governance, strengthen collaboration for food safety, and promote and ensure harmonisation and enforcement of food safety rules and regulations in Ghana.
"These core objectives have been converted into a five-year action plan that details strategies and activities that will be performed to guarantee that this nation's food policy is implemented successfully and efficiently," he explained.
Delese A. A. Darko, the FDA's Chief Executive Officer, noted that fighting food-borne diseases required a collaborative effort.
"The fight against food-borne diseases must be multi-sectoral, with state-owned entities in Ghana working together to execute actions aimed at safe food," she stated.
Ms Darko went on to say that it was time for the FDA and its agencies to focus on their joint roles and obligations in order to help safeguard, prevent, and control food-borne infections and their associated illnesses and even death.
The introduction also coincided with the formation of a management committee for the National Food Safety Emergency Response Plan (FORSERP), which is responsible for ensuring safe and suitable food for all customers.
The FORSERP's mission is to provide a coordinated and consistent approach to preparing for, preventing, protecting against, mitigating, and responding to safety emergencies.
Commendation
Representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Food Programme (WFP) applauded the FDA's action.
Separately, they committed to continue raising awareness about the importance of secure food supply, emphasizing that it encouraged good health, a healthy society, and decreased strain on the health system.
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