Nagaland Health minister calls for concerted efforts to ensure food safety

Our Correspondent
Kohima, July 26 (EMN): Minister of Health and Family Welfare, S Pangnyu Phom on Tuesday appealed to the concerned authority to cross-check all the essential food items entering the state for adulteration, and warned of strict action against defaulters.

Addressing an ‘Eat Right’ walkathon organised by the Food Safety Authority of the Department of Health and Family Welfare in Kohima, the minister said that food items and other products must be properly checked for everyone’s well-being.

He further added that action against the defaulters would be strict and penalties will be imposed as per the law so that people do not face any health complications.

Through the event, the minister expressed hope to spread the message about having healthy food and combat negative nutritional trends to beat lifestyle diseases.

‘The masses will be informed through this event for mainstreaming Eat Right India, including the adoption of fortified foods in one’s diet. A similar awareness programme at the grassroots level will serve the purpose of the department and the authority concerned by guiding its citizens to choose the best and healthy food for long and healthy life’, he added.

Phom flagged off the walkathon that commenced from Classic Island to St. Peter’s School in the state capital Kohima on Tuesday.

It was followed by an eating right demonstration where lab technicians from the department demonstrated ways to detect adulterated food. 

Principal Director of Health and family Welfare and Additional Food Safety Commissioner of Nagaland, Dr. K Vikato Kinimi informed that the Eat Right movement is being organised to disseminate information and awareness, and to empower citizens for behavioural change towards healthy foods including fortified food; to take conscious decisions to support good health for a healthy nation.

State Programme Officer of Food Safety Authority, Dr. John Kemp, said that the event is being held to generate awareness about food safety, whereby eating safe food can prevent food-borne illness and prevent lifestyle diseases.

“It envisages advocating eating right and healthy food, supplementing normal diet through fortification of food in order to prevent iron deficiency anaemia which is rampant among children and women throughout the country,” he added.

Students and members of Supply colony in Kohima participated in the event; and witnessed adulterated food demonstrations on daily consumptions like milk, chilli powder, tea leaves, egg and fortified rice.