Clare
A coalition of civil society organizations has called for urgent action to strengthen food safety systems in Uganda, as the country joins the rest of the world to mark World Food Safety Day.
In a statement issued during a virtual press conference yesterday, the organizations including Southern and Eastern Africa Trade Information and Negotiations Institute, Food Rights Alliance, Food Safety Coalition Uganda, Global Consumer Centre, Caritas Uganda, and Participatory Ecological Land Use Management Uganda, warned that foodborne illnesses remain a major public health concern.
Reportedly, an estimated 1.3 million Ugandans suffer from food-related illnesses each year, representing about 14 percent of the total disease burden in the country.
Worrying aflatoxins
The coalition also highlighted growing concerns over aflatoxin-related liver cancer, with about 3,700 cases reported annually adding that unsafe food continues to affect livelihoods and the economy, costing Uganda significant financial losses each year.
Globally, nearly one in ten people fall ill after consuming contaminated food, leading to hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths every year.
The organizations attributed food safety challenges to factors like misuse of agrochemicals, poor food handling practices, and weak storage and transport systems.
They also warned about harmful chemical residues in food, which threaten consumer health and reduce the competitiveness of Uganda’s exports.
Agrochemicals
While commending government efforts, including the restriction of some hazardous agrochemicals and measures to control aflatoxins, the coalition emphasized the need for stronger enforcement of regulations and better coordination among responsible agencies.
They further called on farmers, traders, and consumers to observe food safety standards and promote safe food practices across the value chain.
This year’s World Food Safety Day is being observed under the theme, “From burden to solutions: safe food everywhere.