UNESCO highlights 4 countries that have no food standards in schools
Meals and food hygiene in schools have always been a matter of concern as poor food standards can directly affect health and wellbeing. Recently, a study by UNESCO's
Global Education Monitoring
(GEM) found that only 60% of countries have laws or safety standards in place to regulate food and beverages in schools.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
This report raised concerns over the global commitment to students' health. Here's more about the report.
All about the report
This report was recently released in collaboration with the Research Consortium for School Health and Nutrition, and is backed by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine under the School Meals Coalition.
As per the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) report 'Only 93 out of 187 countries have legislation, compulsory standards or guidance on school food and beverages.
However, only 29 per cent of these 93 countries had measures restricting food and beverage marketing in schools and only 60 per cent have standards governing food and beverages.' It was further mentioned that 'The GEM team found that the survey-based assessment of schools based food and nutrition education in 30 low- and middle-income countries found that integration within the school system was mostly through extracurricular or project-based activities rather than as a standalone subject or across the curriculum.'
Focus on food
It was also mentioned that 'In only three of 28 countries the assessments were regularly conducted and used. The assessment information included changes in attitudes and perceptions about food and nutrition, knowledge, food practice, nutritional status, habits and diets,' as per the study. 'Most school meal programmes have education goals, alongside nutrition, health and social protection objectives.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
However, fewer programmes focus on preventing or mitigating obesity."
However, a similar study focused on school meal provision found that 72 per cent of countries reported some limitations on food marketing on school grounds and 52 per cent had national-level prohibitions on foods permitted on or near school grounds. 'A review of nutrition policy engagement with food system transformation in high-income countries highlighted that, while most policy actions focused on communication for healthy choice behaviour change, most outcomes in the food environment domain focused on food labelling, product reformulation, providing healthy food in schools and restricting food advertising,' the GEM Report read.
The solution
'There was a lack of emphasis on reducing consumption of unhealthy food or drinks. There was an emphasis on individual responsibility instead of the food environment and on regulatory and legislative reforms,' according to the report. There is a need to build capacity at all levels through education and training across a range of sectors, including health, nutrition, agriculture and food systems. Despite clear interdependencies, the linkages between education and nutrition remain under-researched, including in data collection and monitoring of programmes and outcomes,' according to the report.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
2 days ago
- India Today
Centralised procurement in Delhi's healthcare: A necessary reform facing resistance?
The Delhi government's recent decision to mandate the Central Procurement Agency (CPA) as the sole body responsible for procuring medicines, medical devices, and equipment for state-run hospitals has been hailed as a transformative step toward transparency and efficiency in healthcare delivery. However, the move has reportedly faced resistance from Dr Rati Makar, Director General of Health Services (DGHS), raising concerns about potential vested interests disrupting a system designed to curb corruption and streamline CPA represents a systemic overhaul aimed at fixing a broken procurement process. While resistance from within the system is not uncommon during such transitions, the focus should remain on whether the agency delivers on its promises: fair pricing, timely supplies, and better patient care. If Dr Makar's objections are procedural, they should be addressed transparently. But if the pushback stems from vested interests, it would only reinforce the need for the CPA's stricter THE CPA MATTERSThe CPA was introduced to address longstanding issues in Delhi's healthcare procurement: Price Inflation & Discrepancies: Hospitals previously procured supplies directly or via the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal's cart feature, leading to inflated prices and audit irregularities .Administrative Burden: Doctors and hospital staff were bogged down by procurement tasks, diverting attention from patient care. The CPA centralises demands, allowing medical professionals to focus on treatment .Transparency & Accountability: By consolidating procurement under one agency, the government aims to eliminate price manipulation and ensure compliance with financial regulations .ALLEGED RESISTANCE FROM DGHSadvertisementDespite the CPA's clear benefits, reports suggest that Dr Rati Makar, DGHS, is attempting to obstruct its implementation. While no official statement from Dr Makar has been cited, sources indicate concerns over:Loss of Discretionary Powers: The shift to centralised procurement removes individual hospitals' autonomy in purchasing, potentially disrupting existing Influence of Drug Mafias: Critics speculate that resistance could stem from entrenched interests benefiting from the older, less regulated procurement system .A NEUTRAL PERSPECTIVEWhile the BJP government frames the CPA as a pro-patient reform, the resistance highlights a broader debate:Efficiency vs. Autonomy: Centralisation can reduce corruption but may also slow emergency procurements. The CPA does allow exceptions for urgent needs, but bureaucratic delays remain a concern.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
Supply shortage forces SCTIMST doctors to call off neuro-interventional procedures indefinitely
Shortage or near-total unavailability of necessary materials for neuro Cath laboratories—high-end specialised catheters, stents and specialised soft platinum coils used for endovascular coiling to treat brain aneurysms—has led clinicians at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) to call off all scheduled neuro-interventional procedures from next week, throwing patient care into disarray. Many patients who were scheduled to undergo interventional procedures from this weekend, after being on the waiting list for long, were informed in the eleventh hour that their procedures were being suspended and that they would have to seek treatment elsewhere. The decision to suspend all peripheral and neuro-interventional procedures at the SCTIMST from June 9 was taken by the doctors at the Department of Imaging Sciences (IS) and Interventional Radiology (IR). They pointed out that they were unable to perform routine and emergency interventional procedures because the manufacturers had withdrawn all supplies from the Cath labs. In a letter to the Director of the SCTIMST on Friday, the doctors said that they had been repeatedly reminding the administration since November 2023 that essential intervention materials for the Cath labs of the IS and IR department were going short. They said that they were using the bare minimum resources to continue doing the neuro-intervention procedures. The doctors pointed out that they had taken up this issue with the administration multiple times and even suggested possible solutions. Yet, 'the current administration had not been able to maintain the operational needs of one of the institute's key departments, one that has played a foundational role in advancing endovascular interventions in the country,' they said. They refused to resume interventional procedures till regular and adequate supply of necessary materials was restored. Mostly imported According to sources, the problem of shortage of supplies arose because the rate contract for medical supplies was not renewed after 2023 and the contract rates were being extended. Most of the materials used for neuro-intervention procedures are imported and after import prices went up, the manufacturers and suppliers refused to continue supplying the same at the rates quoted in 2023. 'The Union government wants all public procurement to go through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal for more streamlined and transparent procurement but there have been many quality concern issues, technical rejections due to non-conformance to specifications and so on, leading to huge delays in procurement. On the other hand, there are no Indian-made substitutes for the kind of Cath lab materials that the IR dept needs. It is unusual for doctors at the SCTIMST to show open defiance but the Radiology department felt that they were driven to the wall,' a senior doctor at the SCTIMST told The Hindu. The SCTIMST administration officials said that till now, as an autonomous institution, the doctors at the SCTIMST had a say regarding purchases. 'However, from May 2023, it is mandatory that all public procurements be made through the GeM portal. The current stalemate over procurement has all to do with the shifting over to the new purchase system. It is very cumbersome and there are many process delays, especially when some of the items that Radiology needs are customised. Our doctors are very upset and it is hurting our patients but we need time to tide over this mess,' an administrative official said. Institute's statement The SCTIMST later issued a statement that due to the ongoing streamlining of the procurement process of interventional devices, 'there will be a rescheduling of certain neuro-interventional procedures.'
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Delhi govt bans direct hospital purchases, mandates all procurement through central agency to curb inflated prices
The Delhi government has prohibited hospitals from directly buying medical devices. All purchases must now go through the Central Procurement Agency. This move aims to increase transparency and ensure compliance. The health minister found some hospitals were using direct purchases, leading to inflated prices. Disciplinary action will be taken for any violations. Pankaj Kumar Singh approved the order. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads New Delhi: The Delhi government has barred hospitals in the national capital from buying medical devices, consumables, equipment and machinery directly, asking them to make all purchases exclusively through the government's e-procurement process."Direct purchases or cart-based procurement on the GeM (Government-eMarketplace) portal by hospitals are strictly prohibited," the state health ministry said in an order, warning disciplinary or legal action in case of any government's Central Procurement Agency (CPA) will "solely" handle all demand and bidding processes, it move aims to ensure transparency and adherence to procurement norms, the ministry said in the order dated June 4. The state health minister has got to know that certain hospitals and institutions have been procuring medical devices, consumables, equipment and machinery through direct purchases or by using GeM's cart feature, it practice has led to "inflated prices, significant price discrepancies, and raises serious concerns of audit non-compliance," it added."No hospital or institution is authorised to undertake cart purchases or initiate bidding directly," the ministry in the case of exceptional or emergency situations where immediate procurement via GeM cart is unavoidable, the institution has been asked to submit the demand to the CPA."The CPA will assess the urgency and coordinate procurement on behalf of the hospital," the order deviation from these directives "may result in disciplinary and or legal action as deemed appropriate by the competent authority," the ministry order is issued with the approval of Delhi health minister Pankaj Kumar Singh and is to be strictly implemented by all concerned officers and institutions, it added.
