ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: President Dr. Arif Alvi has said that nutritional and safe food can help Pakistan overcome the problems of malnutrition and stunting, besides helping prevent various food-borne diseases.
“Safe food can also help promote long-term human development as well as achieve several of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Therefore, I would like to emphasise that we must ensure food safety in Pakistan by following food safety standards,” the president said in a message on ‘World Food Safety Day’ being observed on June 7.
The president further stressed that it was a shared responsibility of the government as well as all the people involved in handling the daily food, including producers, transporters, cooks, and consumers to handle food with greater care.
The president said that they needed to educate the people to properly handle and prepare food, and ensure cleanliness and hygiene at home and outside.
“Our religion Islam also teaches us to maintain cleanliness in general, eat clean food and wash our hands before every meal,” he opined.
President Arif Alvi said that they must inculcate healthy habits among their people, especially the children, by teaching them about food safety. He said the World Food Safety Day was being observed this year on June 7 to draw attention towards food safety standards.
It was alarming that on average 1.6 million people get sick daily due to unsafe food whereas 340 children under-5 years of age die due to preventable food-borne diseases, on average, every day, he added.
The president noted that the situation was avertable and hundred of thousands of lives could be saved by ensuring food standards, eliminating unhygienic food, and preventing food-borne risks.
Dr. Arif Alvi said that the day was being commemorated to highlight the importance of food safety.
“If our food is clean, safe and meets the nutritional requirements, it can help us live an active and healthy life. Unhealthy and adulterated food can cause various health problems putting pressure on our healthcare resources,” he observed.
The president also urged the food manufacturers to follow food safety requirements in accordance with national and international food safety standards. He asked families, parents, media and teachers to educate children and people in general about food safety practices.
“I am hopeful that through the sincere and concerted efforts of our policymakers, food safety authorities, farmers, food business operators, cooks, teachers, students, and consumers, we would be able to ensure the provision of safer food for all of us,” he remarked.
