World Food Safety Day 2024
Foodborne diseases (FBD) remain a public health concern in the Caribbean and worldwide, with one in ten people becoming ill from contaminated food worldwide each year.[1]An increasing number of FBD cases and incidence are being reported across CARPHA Member States (CMS), particularly in the tourism and cruise ship industries. FBD can cause morbidity, mortality and economic burden for countries. It can also have significant economic, social and reputational impacts on trade and tourism.
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO), commemorates World Food Safety Day on June 7. The theme for 2024, “Food Safety: Preparing for the Unexpected”, reiterates that food safety is a shared responsibility and everyone must play their part.
At all levels, we must be ready to intervene if food safety is compromised, for example:
Governments can update their national food safety emergency response plans, strengthen their national food control systems, increase monitoring and coordination capacity, and improve communication. Food businesses can improve their food safety management plans, collaborate, share lessons learned, and improve communication with consumers. Consumers can be assured that they know how to report and respond to food safety incidents.
“Food safety is essential to support the economic productivity of a Caribbean region that is dependent on tourism and rich in culinary diversity. CARPHA contributes to regional food security through foodborne illness surveillance and improving food safety in our 26 Member States,” said Dr. Lisa Indahl, Director of Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control at CARPHA.
A 2021 WHO study found that the incidence of FBD was 1 in 11 during periods of mass gatherings such as cricket matches, carnivals and food festivals.[2] With this in mind, CARPHA remains active and leading the regional public health response as Caribbean countries host the ICC Men's T20 World Cup (May/June 2024). The agency is working with health and tourism stakeholders in the six Caribbean Cricket World Cup (CWC) host countries (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago) to strengthen surveillance, early warning and response, testing, health, prevention and control, and food safety capacities in preparation for the CWC and other mass gatherings.
During this preparation phase, which runs from February to May 2024, around 900 food vendors who may sell food in or around cricket stadiums have been trained on food safety for food handlers in mass gathering events. In addition, a mass gathering surveillance system has been developed and implemented to capture six internationally recognised potential syndromes, including gastroenteritis.
To adequately respond to foodborne illnesses and food safety in the Caribbean, CARPHA implements an integrated foodborne illness program that integrates epidemiological, laboratory, environmental and veterinary aspects of foodborne illness surveillance and response into a coordinated programmatic approach at regional and national levels. The components of surveillance, training, capacity development, outbreak investigation, research, preparedness and control address foodborne illnesses comprehensively and promote food safety in the region. CARPHA has also trained and certified more than 500 advanced food safety personnel in nine member countries and developed a set of hospitality, health, food safety and environmental standards that serve as the basis for the development of effective food safety programs for the hospitality industry.
CARPHA remains committed to working with partners and member states to strengthen food security in the region through multisectoral collaboration, capacity building activities, information exchange and communication.
