world food day marked in dubai
UAE Minister for Health Inaugurates Health Awareness Seminars
Under the patronage of H.E. Mr. Humaid Al Qutami, the Minister of Health (MoH) and with the support of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, Novartis Consumer Health and the UAE Red Crescent Society an educational awareness event was held in the Al Murooj Rotanna Hotel today in support of the United Nations World Food Day.
World Food Day is an annual event held in over 150 countries. This year’s theme, “The Right to Food” was chosen so that the voices of the disadvantaged may be heard. The right to food is a universal right. It means that every person – woman, man and child – must have access at all times to food, or to means for the procurement of food. Furthermore, food must be sufficient in quality, quantity and variety to meet people’s needs; it should be free from harmful substances and is acceptable to their culture. Only when individuals do not have the capacity to meet their food needs by their own means for reasons beyond their control, such as age, handicap, economic downturn, famine, disaster, or discrimination, will they be entitled to receive food directly from the state.
“Ensuring that every person enjoys adequate food on a permanent basis is not only a moral imperative it is a fundamental human right”, according to H.E. Humaid Al Qutami, UAE Minister of Health. “Every country needs to support and mark the occasion of World Food Day so people are aware of the problems that are faced across the world. Here in the UAE, we are focussing on food safety in order to minimize the incidences of food borne illnesses” added H.E. Al Qutami.
This year’s event focussed on the availability of good quality food. “Over 150 nutritionists, doctors and dieticians heard lectures on the handling, preparation and storage of beef, chicken and fish, the most easily contaminated food groups” said Dr. Mariam Mattar, Assistant Undersecretary of Public Health and Primary Health Care, MOH. “There were also a number of lectures on food borne illnesses such as salmonella and lysteria. Millions of cases of food borne illness occur each year world wide, most cases can be prevented as proper cooking or processing of food destroys bacteria”, H.E. Dr. Matar added.
“We are very glad and proud to be part of this initiative” said Ms. Samah El Manzalawi, Brand Manager, Novartis Consumer Health, “In addition to educating people on food safety, one of our main aims is to spread awareness on how important a proper daily nutritional intake is on a persons short and long term well being.”
