- Unsafe food causes 600 mn illnesses, 420K deaths annually
- 70 percent of fatalities from unsafe food occur among children under five
- Ghebreyesus stressed that collaboration is essential to ensure safe and accessible food for all
At the second Global Food Regulators Summit in Delhi, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus underscored the urgent need for strong food regulation to combat the global challenge of unsafe food. Unsafe food leads to 600 million cases of foodborne illnesses and 420,000 deaths annually, with 70% of these fatalities occurring in children under five.
In a video address, Ghebreyesus highlighted how climate change, population growth, and globalization have intensified challenges for food systems. He called for coordinated efforts to address these issues, noting that over 3 million people globally cannot afford a nutritious diet. “The food regulator community has a critical role to play in addressing these global challenges,” he emphasized, stressing the importance of international collaboration to ensure safe and accessible food for all.
The summit was attended by key figures, including India’s Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, Food Minister Prahlad Joshi, FSSAI Chairperson Apurva Chandra, and Codex Chairperson Steve Wearne.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized United Nations agency responsible for international public health. Its primary mission is to ensure the highest attainable level of health for all people. WHO sets global health standards, provides leadership on critical health issues, and promotes research, education, and information sharing to tackle health challenges, including food safety.
(With inputs from agencies)
