Health Minister Nisha Mehta Pledges Public Health Improvements to Combat Foodborne Diseases

Kathmandu. Health and Food Hygiene Minister Nisha Mehta has stated that foodborne diseases are a serious public health challenge and the government is committed to making necessary improvements in public health to face it.

Issuing a message of best wishes on the occasion of World Food Hygiene Day today, she said that the government is always committed to improving public health through the assurance of food consumption. She stated that the government has given high priority to the effective implementation of the Food Hygiene and Quality Act, 2081 to strengthen food hygiene.

Along with this, it is mentioned that the strengthening of food testing laboratories, risk-based market monitoring, and policy reform activities will be intensified. Mentioning that it is the government's responsibility to maintain hygiene in all processes from the production to the consumption of food, Minister Mehta said that it is necessary to adopt methods such as good agricultural practices, good manufacturing practices, and proper storage for this.

She mentioned that good practices ensure the availability of quality food in the market and reduce the human damage and economic burden caused by unhealthy eating.

Minister Mehta also wished that this day would inspire all stakeholders including producers, traders, and consumers involved in the food chain to internalize the importance of clean eating and become more responsible for their respective roles.

Today, along with Nepal, the day is being celebrated worldwide with the main slogan 'Clean Eating Everywhere, Identification of Foodborne Problems'. According to the report of the World Health Organization, every year 600 million people fall ill due to contaminated food and 420,000 people die prematurely.