Latest news with #WasanAbdullaAlBaker
Qatar Tribune
3 days ago
- Health
- Qatar Tribune
MoPH hosts a slew of events to mark World Food Safety Day
QNA Doha Held under the theme 'Food Safety — Science in Action', the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has organized a range of important activities and events to mark the World Food Safety Day, observed annually on June 7, and marked globally under the slogan 'Food Safety is Everyone's Business'. This year's event highlights the vital role that science plays in supporting policies and procedures designed to ensure food safety and protect consumer health. The occasion aims to reinforce global efforts to reduce the burden of foodborne illnesses and to emphasise that the responsibility for food safety lies with everyone, from farm to fork. To mark the occasion, MoPH launched an extensive awareness campaign across social media platforms, with the aim of raising public awareness about the importance of food safety and promoting correct practices that help prevent exposure to food-related risks. Commenting on this, Director of the Food Safety Department at MoPH, Wasan Abdulla Al Baker, stated: 'The State of Qatar continues its efforts to strengthen food safety, recognising its importance as a fundamental requirement of food security, as food is not considered food unless it is safe.' She added that food safety plays a key role in limiting the spread of foodborne diseases. She emphasised that World Food Safety Day plays an active role in raising awareness among individuals and educating them on how to prevent these diseases. It also sheds light on the solutions and measures that can be adopted to ensure food safety from source to consumer. Al Baker said that the Food Safety Department at the MoPH has made significant progress in adopting a science-based approach as a cornerstone for strengthening the national food safety system. Among these achievements are capacity building in risk assessment and the implementation of related activities, which have enabled the department to respond effectively to food incidents and take the necessary actions based on accurate data and reliable scientific evidence. The department has also established an internal scientific research team responsible for setting priorities for food safety research, directly supervising the completion of related studies in line with the Ministry's vision and objectives. In addition, the department has consistently supported and developed its laboratory services by continuously expanding the scope of accredited analytical methods at the Ministry's Food Safety Laboratories. As part of the World Food Safety Day activities, the Ministry organized a workshop entitled 'The Role of Science in Supporting Food Safety Regulatory Decisions', held at the Itqan Clinical Simulation and Innovation at Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City (HBKMC). The workshop covered several key topics, including the importance of relying on scientific data and credible evidence when formulating policies and making decisions related to food safety and consumer protection, as well as the exchange of experiences and expertise among the relevant parties. Key topics included Qatar's scientific framework for ensuring the accuracy and consistency of food analyses to support evidence-based decision making, global research trends in food safety, and science-based decision making for safer food. The workshop also included a presentation on the role of science as a driver for transforming the food system, the development of technical regulations and food standards, and the assessment of risks that threaten plant health. The workshop further addressed the importance of surveillance systems in the early detection of foodborne disease outbreaks and reviewed MoPH's experience in managing food incidents and emergencies. In addition, the Ministry, in collaboration with the Shafallah Centre for Persons with Disabilities, organised a children's drawing competition for Shafallah students on the theme of food safety. The children's artwork was displayed at the World Food Safety Day exhibition. Representatives from the Ministry also delivered a bilingual lecture in Arabic and English for Shafallah Centre staff, covering the principles of food safety and ways to prevent foodborne diseases. Furthermore, the World Food Safety Day celebrations included an educational event for children aged 3 to 12 years at Qatar Mall, organised by MoPH with the aim of building a culture of food safety in the community. This was achieved by instilling healthy principles and practices in children through learning, play and practical experience. The event featured educational games, drawing and colouring activities, interactive microscope demonstrations and the distribution of symbolic gifts to children to emphasize the importance of food safety.
Qatar Tribune
3 days ago
- Health
- Qatar Tribune
MoPH organises key activities and events to mark World Food Safety Day
DOHA: Held under the theme 'Food Safety - Science in Action', the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has organised a range of important activities and events to mark the World Food Safety Day, observed annually on June 7, and marked globally under the slogan 'Food Safety is Everyone's Business'. This year's event highlights the vital role that science plays in supporting policies and procedures designed to ensure food safety and protect consumer health. The occasion aims to reinforce global efforts to reduce the burden of foodborne illnesses and to emphasize that the responsibility for food safety lies with everyone, from farm to fork. To mark the occasion, MoPH launched an extensive awareness campaign across social media platforms, with the aim of raising public awareness about the importance of food safety and promoting correct practices that help prevent exposure to food-related risks. Commenting on this, Director of the Food Safety Department at MoPH, Wasan Abdulla Al Baker, stated: "The State of Qatar continues its efforts to strengthen food safety, recognizing its importance as a fundamental requirement of food security, as food is not considered food unless it is safe." She added that food safety plays a key role in limiting the spread of foodborne diseases. She emphasized that World Food Safety Day plays an active role in raising awareness among individuals and educating them on how to prevent these diseases. It also sheds light on the solutions and measures that can be adopted to ensure food safety from source to consumer. Al Baker said that the Food Safety Department at the Ministry has made significant progress in adopting a science-based approach as a cornerstone for strengthening the national food safety system. Among these achievements are capacity building in risk assessment and the implementation of related activities, which have enabled the department to respond effectively to food incidents and take the necessary actions based on accurate data and reliable scientific evidence. The department has also established an internal scientific research team responsible for setting priorities for food safety research, directly supervising the completion of related studies in line with the Ministry's vision and objectives. In addition, the department has consistently supported and developed its laboratory services by continuously expanding the scope of accredited analytical methods at the Ministry's Food Safety Laboratories. As part of the World Food Safety Day activities, the Ministry organised a workshop entitled 'The Role of Science in Supporting Food Safety Regulatory Decisions', held at the Itqan Clinical Simulation and Innovation at Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City (HBKMC). The workshop covered several key topics, including the importance of relying on scientific data and credible evidence when formulating policies and making decisions related to food safety and consumer protection, as well as the exchange of experiences and expertise among the relevant parties. Key topics included Qatar's scientific framework for ensuring the accuracy and consistency of food analyses to support evidence-based decision making, global research trends in food safety, and science-based decision making for safer food. The workshop also included a presentation on the role of science as a driver for transforming the food system, the development of technical regulations and food standards, and the assessment of risks that threaten plant health. The workshop further addressed the importance of surveillance systems in the early detection of foodborne disease outbreaks and reviewed MoPH's experience in managing food incidents and emergencies. In addition, the Ministry, in collaboration with the Shafallah Centre for Persons with Disabilities, organized a children's drawing competition for Shafallah students on the theme of food safety. The children's artwork was displayed at the World Food Safety Day exhibition. Representatives from the Ministry also delivered a bilingual lecture in Arabic and English for Shafallah Centre staff, covering the principles of food safety and ways to prevent foodborne diseases. Furthermore, the World Food Safety Day celebrations included an educational event for children aged 3 to 12 at Qatar Mall, organised by MoPH with the aim of building a culture of food safety in the community. This was achieved by instilling healthy principles and practices in children through learning, play and practical experience. The event featured educational games, drawing and coloring activities, interactive microscope demonstrations and the distribution of symbolic gifts to children to emphasize the importance of food safety.
Zawya
21-02-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Health Ministry rolls out food safety ratings for food establishments in Qatar
Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) today officially launched the Food Safety Rating Programme for Food Establishments in the State of Qatar. The initiative aims to enhance compliance with food safety requirements across various food establishments in the country. The programme enables consumers to assess the extent to which food establishments adhere to health regulations, based on the results of periodic inspections. Under the programme, food establishments are classified into six categories: (1) Urgent Improvement Necessary, (2) Major Improvement Necessary, (3) Improvement Necessary, (4) Good, (5) Very Good, (6) Excellent. The classification results are published on the "Watheq" electronic food safety system, allowing consumers to review them, while food establishments can also display their classification rating on-site. The programme consists of three phases, with the first two already implemented, covering hotels and restaurants in tourist areas and shopping malls. The third phase will include all other food establishments that provide direct food services to consumers in Qatar, with implementation set to begin in the third quarter of this year. As of 16 February 2025, a total of 1,284 food establishments have been classified under the programme. During the ceremony, Wasan Abdulla Al Baker, Director of the Food Safety Department at the Ministry of Public Health, honoured 51 food establishments that received "Excellent" and "Very Good" ratings under the programme, and expressed her gratitude to the recognised establishments for their commitment to food safety. The launch event, held at the Itqan Clinical Simulation and Innovation Center in Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City (HBKMC), was attended by representatives from the Ministries of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), Municipality (Albaladiya), and Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), as well as the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI), Qatar Tourism (QT), Qatar General Organization for Standards and Metrology (QGOSM), Qatar University (QU), and owners of restaurants and hotels participating in the programme's first phase. In her opening remarks, Wasan Al Baker, stated, "The official launch of the Food Safety Rating Programme for Food Establishments marks a significant step towards achieving the highest levels of compliance with global health and safety standards, contributing to enhanced food safety and public health protection in Qatar." Al Baker emphasised that the programme was designed to promote transparency and credibility in the food safety sector by classifying establishments based on technical standards and requirements. This approach aims to raise consumer awareness and strengthen confidence in the quality of food products and services by providing essential information on the level of compliance maintained by each establishment. Wasan Al Baker added, "The programme is one of the key mechanisms adopted by the Food Safety Department at the Ministry of Public Health to ensure safe food for all residents of Qatar and prevent foodborne illnesses. We hope that this classification system will encourage food establishments to continuously improve their performance and adhere to food safety regulations." Mubarak Al Naemi, Head of the Environmental Health Section at the Ministry of Public Health, delivered an introductory presentation on the programme, detailing its development phases and explaining how food establishments in Qatar can utilise it. The implementation mechanism of the Food Safety Rating Programme requires each registered food establishment to undergo at least three inspection visits, with additional visits conducted regularly to ensure compliance. The programme was developed using a risk-based inspection approach, in collaboration with international consultants. The Food Safety Department at the Ministry of Public Health designed the programme to align food establishments with food safety requirements, drawing insights from international best practices in this field. A two-year field study was conducted to evaluate the programme, culminating in its final design to meet Qatar's food safety requirements and framework. Consumers can view the classification results of food establishments through the 'Watheq' system via the following link: © Dar Al Sharq Press, Printing and Distribution. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Zawya
27-01-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Qatar: MoPH intensifies inspections of restaurants, cafeterias in Industrial Area
Qatar - The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has recently conducted an intensive inspection campaign targeting all restaurants and cafeterias in the Industrial Area. The campaign aimed to ensure the safety of food products provided by these establishments by verifying their compliance with health requirements, based on the Food Safety Code of Practice guidelines prepared by the Ministry and available on its website. The campaign focused on examining food practices that directly or indirectly affect the safety and quality of food items in the Industrial Area. Inspectors from the Food Safety Department at the MoPH paid particular attention to reviewing and inspecting the preparation and handling of high-risk foods. Additionally, samples were collected to verify the safety of food products. Director of the Food Safety Department at the Ministry of Public Health, Wasan Abdulla Al Baker, said, "During the campaign, we managed to cover all restaurants and cafeterias in the Industrial Area through 1,038 inspection visits, including 555 follow-up visits. Our inspectors worked diligently to provide support and ensure that corrective measures were implemented by food establishments, helping to raise their compliance with technical and health standards." Wasan Al Baker added that 320 samples of ready-to-eat meals were collected and subjected to testing and analysis at the Central Food Laboratories of the MoPH. The test results indicated that all samples fell within the permissible safety limits. She also noted that the owners of the establishments demonstrated a clear willingness to improve their facilities during the campaign. Their cooperation and commitment to implementing the recommendations of the Food Safety Department's representatives contributed to an improved assessment of establishments in the area by the end of the campaign. The Ministry of Public Health reaffirms its ongoing commitment to achieving the highest standards of quality and safety across all food establishments in Qatar. The Ministry's Food Safety Department continues to intensify awareness campaigns in the Industrial Area and organizes training sessions in various languages for establishment owners, supervisors, and food handlers. These sessions aim to educate them on food safety principles and health requirements, thereby enhancing compliance with standards and ensuring the provision of safe food products for consumers. © Gulf Times Newspaper 2022 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
