MoPH organises key activities and events to mark World Food Safety Day
DOHA: Held under the theme 'Food Safety - Science in Action', the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has organised a range of important activities and events to mark the World Food Safety Day, observed annually on June 7, and marked globally under the slogan 'Food Safety is Everyone's Business'.
This year's event highlights the vital role that science plays in supporting policies and procedures designed to ensure food safety and protect consumer health.
The occasion aims to reinforce global efforts to reduce the burden of foodborne illnesses and to emphasize that the responsibility for food safety lies with everyone, from farm to fork.
To mark the occasion, MoPH launched an extensive awareness campaign across social media platforms, with the aim of raising public awareness about the importance of food safety and promoting correct practices that help prevent exposure to food-related risks.
Commenting on this, Director of the Food Safety Department at MoPH, Wasan Abdulla Al Baker, stated: "The State of Qatar continues its efforts to strengthen food safety, recognizing its importance as a fundamental requirement of food security, as food is not considered food unless it is safe."
She added that food safety plays a key role in limiting the spread of foodborne diseases. She emphasized that World Food Safety Day plays an active role in raising awareness among individuals and educating them on how to prevent these diseases. It also sheds light on the solutions and measures that can be adopted to ensure food safety from source to consumer.
Al Baker said that the Food Safety Department at the Ministry has made significant progress in adopting a science-based approach as a cornerstone for strengthening the national food safety system. Among these achievements are capacity building in risk assessment and the implementation of related activities, which have enabled the department to respond effectively to food incidents and take the necessary actions based on accurate data and reliable scientific evidence.
The department has also established an internal scientific research team responsible for setting priorities for food safety research, directly supervising the completion of related studies in line with the Ministry's vision and objectives. In addition, the department has consistently supported and developed its laboratory services by continuously expanding the scope of accredited analytical methods at the Ministry's Food Safety Laboratories.
As part of the World Food Safety Day activities, the Ministry organised a workshop entitled 'The Role of Science in Supporting Food Safety Regulatory Decisions', held at the Itqan Clinical Simulation and Innovation at Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City (HBKMC).
The workshop covered several key topics, including the importance of relying on scientific data and credible evidence when formulating policies and making decisions related to food safety and consumer protection, as well as the exchange of experiences and expertise among the relevant parties.
Key topics included Qatar's scientific framework for ensuring the accuracy and consistency of food analyses to support evidence-based decision making, global research trends in food safety, and science-based decision making for safer food. The workshop also included a presentation on the role of science as a driver for transforming the food system, the development of technical regulations and food standards, and the assessment of risks that threaten plant health.
The workshop further addressed the importance of surveillance systems in the early detection of foodborne disease outbreaks and reviewed MoPH's experience in managing food incidents and emergencies.
In addition, the Ministry, in collaboration with the Shafallah Centre for Persons with Disabilities, organized a children's drawing competition for Shafallah students on the theme of food safety. The children's artwork was displayed at the World Food Safety Day exhibition.
Representatives from the Ministry also delivered a bilingual lecture in Arabic and English for Shafallah Centre staff, covering the principles of food safety and ways to prevent foodborne diseases.
Furthermore, the World Food Safety Day celebrations included an educational event for children aged 3 to 12 at Qatar Mall, organised by MoPH with the aim of building a culture of food safety in the community. This was achieved by instilling healthy principles and practices in children through learning, play and practical experience. The event featured educational games, drawing and coloring activities, interactive microscope demonstrations and the distribution of symbolic gifts to children to emphasize the importance of food safety.
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