WHO: Contaminated Food Causes 86.6 Million Illnesses, 1.5 Million Deaths Annually

Kathmandu. Due to contaminated food, approximately 86.6 million people worldwide fall ill every year and 1.5 million people die, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated. According to the new report released by WHO, children under five years of age are at high risk of diseases caused by contaminated food. Although only 9 percent of the world's population are children under five years of age, the report mentions that nearly one-third of foodborne diseases are found in them. According to the organization, children under five years of age are about three times more likely to fall ill from contaminated food compared to people of other age groups. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that food safety is not an abstract issue but a matter directly connected to every family and daily life. The report mentions that biological factors such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites cause most foodborne diseases. However, the proportion of deaths caused by chemical pollution has been found to be very high. WHO has stated that 73 percent of the total deaths related to food in 2021 were related to chemical risks. It is estimated that more than 1 million deaths have occurred due to increased risk of heart disease and cancer, especially due to inorganic arsenic and lead. The report also states that the economic impact of unsafe food is severe. It is estimated that a loss of productivity worth approximately 310 billion US dollars occurred worldwide due to foodborne diseases in 2021. It is said that this amount reaches 647 billion dollars when adjusted for the cost of living. Regionally, Africa and Southeast Asia have the highest burden of foodborne diseases. The report mentions that these two regions account for about three-fourths of the world's foodborne illnesses and 60 percent of deaths. Climate change, antimicrobial resistance, and inequality in food systems are further increasing the risks, WHO has informed. The government has emphasized the need to make food safety regulations, monitoring systems, and preventive measures more effective.