AMA Public Health Director Calls for Urgent Action on Food Safety as Global Burden Persists
The Public Health Director of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Florence Kuukyi, has called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders in the food value chain to address the growing burden of foodborne diseases, as the world marks World Food Safety Day 2026.
The global observance, led by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization, is being commemorated under the theme "From Burden to Solutions – Safe Food Everywhere".
According to the AMA Health Director, the theme underscores the urgent need to translate scientific evidence and data on foodborne illnesses into practical interventions that safeguard public health, strengthen food systems, and ultimately save lives.
She stressed that food safety extends beyond public health concerns, describing it as a critical developmental, economic, and environmental issue that affects every stage of the food chain from production and processing to distribution and consumption.
Citing data from WHO and partner agencies, she noted that foodborne diseases continue to pose a major global challenge. An estimated 600 million people fall ill annually due to contaminated food, while about 420,000 people die each year as a result. Children under the age of five remain disproportionately affected.
More recent estimates, she added, suggest the problem may be even larger, with unsafe food potentially causing up to 866 million illnesses and 1.52 million deaths globally each year.
In Ghana and across Africa, she highlighted persistent challenges including poor food handling practices, inadequate sanitation, unsafe water usage, improper storage temperatures, pesticide residues, food adulteration, and environmental contamination.
She further warned that rapid urbanisation and climate change are increasing the risk of food contamination and foodborne disease outbreaks, placing additional pressure on public health systems.
“As environmental health professionals, we see food safety as one of the most effective forms of disease prevention,” she stated. “Every safe meal served is a disease outbreak prevented. The burden of foodborne diseases is largely avoidable when all actors work together to apply science-based food safety measures.”
She added that this year’s theme is a call to move beyond identifying challenges to implementing practical, evidence-based solutions that ensure safe food for all.
As part of the World Food Safety Day 2026 commemoration, the AMA Health Director issued a strong call to action for key stakeholders:
Food vendors and operators were urged to maintain strict personal hygiene, use potable water for food preparation, store foods at safe temperatures, and prevent cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods.
Food businesses were encouraged to strengthen food safety management systems, regularly train staff on hygiene practices, and ensure traceability and quality assurance across supply chains.
Consumers were advised to wash hands before handling food, purchase food from approved sources, cook food thoroughly, and promptly report suspected cases of foodborne illness.
Government and stakeholders were also called upon to strengthen surveillance and inspection systems, promote evidence-based food safety policies, and invest in public education and food safety infrastructure.
Concluding her message, she emphasised that food safety is a shared responsibility requiring coordinated action across the entire food chain.
“From farmers and processors to vendors, regulators, and consumers, every actor has a role to play. By turning knowledge into action and burden into solutions, we can build healthier communities, safer food systems, and a more resilient future,” she said.
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