FOOD SAFETY SUMMIT AFRICA CONFERENCE AND
EXPO, May 28 – 29, STRATHMORE UNIVERSITY,
NAIROBI
The Role of the Ministry of Health - Kenya,
in Enforcement of Food Safety Regulation
Dr. Kepha M. Ombacho
Director, Public Health
Ministry of Health
What is Food Safety
Are all measures/actions aimed at ensuring
that that food will not cause harm to the
consumer
Food Safety Hazards
• A food safety hazard is anything present in food with the
potential to harm the consumer, either by causing illness
or injury.
• Food hazards are either:
1) Biological hazards- bacteria, viruses, and parasites
2) Chemical hazards – pesticides
3) Physical hazards – physical object e.g. hair in food
Constitutional Right to Safe Food
CHAPTER FOUR – THE BILL OF RIGHTS
PART 2 – RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS
43. Economic and social rights
(1) Every person has the right—
(a) to the highest attainable standard of health, which
includes the right to health care services, including
reproductive health care;
(c) to be free from hunger, and to have adequate food of
acceptable quality;
Kenya Food Safety Situation Analysis
• The Kenyan food safety control system is multi-sectoral
in approach and is implemented by various Government
ministries and regulatory agencies.
• The coordination mechanism among these institutions is
currently inadequate.
• Inefficiencies in the national food safety control system
has resulted in recurrence of food borne illnesses,
rejections of food shipments by importing countries.
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Kenya Food Safety Situation Analysis
• The National Food Safety Coordination Committee (NFSCC)
is a multi-sectoral committee with members who are players
in the food chain.
• Chair: Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries
Secretariat: Ministry of Health.
• The NFSCC is responsible for coordinating all food safety
activities in the country.
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Kenya Food Safety Situation Analysis
• Members of NFSCC:
Department of Veterinary Services, Department of Livestock Production,
Department of Fisheries, Kenya Bureau of Standards, Kenya Plant Health
Inspectorate Services (KEPHIS), National Public Health Laboratory Services
(NPHLS), Government Chemist, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI),
University of Nairobi, Tea Board of Kenya, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute
(KARI), Kenya Dairy Board, Pest Control Products Board
• Co-opted Members
World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agricultural Organization of the
United Nations (FAO), and UNIDO.
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Food Standards
• Food standards development is done by committees
comprising of all stakeholders(regulatory, industry,
consumers, producers, academia, professionals etc).
• The stakeholders provide the expertise and scientific
information and build consensus required in national
standards development.
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Enforcement of Food Safety Regulations
1. The National Government
•
Policy formulation and direction;
•
Development of Regulations, Standards,
Manual, Guidelines
•
Capacity building of county governments
•
Technical back-stopping during food safety
events
•
WTO-SPS National Enquiry Point (NEP) for
human health/food safety
2. The County Governments
• Implementation of laws, regulations and food
standards
• Inspection and licensing of food premises
• Maintenance of hygienic practices
• Health promotion
• Management of food safety events
• Surveillance of food borne diseases/foodborne
hazards
Role of the MoH in Trade
The MoH is the official WTO-SPS National Enquiry Point
(NEP) for human health/food safety. The SPS Measures are
applied to:
1. protect animal or plant life or human health from risks
arising from the entry, establishment or spread of pests,
diseases, disease-carrying organisms or disease-causing
organisms;
Role of the MoH in Trade cont…
2. Protect human or animal life or health from risks
arising from additives, contaminants, toxins or diseasecausing organisms in foods, beverages or feedstuffs.
3. Protect human life or health from risks arising from
diseases carried by animals (zoonoses), plants or
products from the entry, establishment or spread of
pests
Role of MoH - NEP
1. Notification
of
measures:
implementation
of
transparency obligations [to notify other countries of
any new or changed SPS measure which affects trade;
and to respond to requests for more information on
new or existing measures – Articles 5.8, 7 & Annex B]
2. Explanation of measures: provide answers to all
reasonable questions from Members.
Role of MoH – NEP cont…
3. Publication of measures:
documents regarding
provide
the
relevant
– all existing and proposed SPS measures,
– control and inspection procedures and food additive
approval procedures
– participation in international and regional SPS
organizations, as well as in bilateral and multilateral
agreements
Our SPS measures are based on :
1. The Food Drugs and Chemical substances Act ,Cap 254
2. National Standards (Sect.5 and Reg. 28 ),
3. Codex Food Standards [Reg. 28 (2)]
4. US Food Chemical Codex [Reg.28 (3)]
5. Provisional measure/precautionary principle (SPS
Agreement 5.7)
[based on readily available information]
Participation in Regional and International
Trade
• MoH participates in the development
implementation
of
regional
(EAC)
International (Codex) food safety standards.
and
and
• MoH is implementing the International Health
Regulations (IHR) and is the national focal point
for IHR.
Analysis of food samples
The laboratories below carry out analysis of food samples:
• KEMRI
• KEBS
• Institutions(UON)
• National Public Health Laboratory Services
• Government Chemist
• KEPHIS
Challenges in the Current Food Safety System
Legislation
• There is inadequate coordination in the enforcement of
various Acts of parliament that covers the entire food
chain.
Institutional Framework
• There is minimum formalized networking between
institutions that deal with food safety
Validation, Monitoring and Evaluation
• Food safety validation, monitoring and evaluation
systems are underdeveloped and under-funded
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Challenges cont….
Traceability
• Most players along the food chain have not established
traceability systems in their operations.
Laboratories Infrastructure
• Limitation in scope of analysis and equipment and in
some cases not up-to date with the new technologies.
Funding
• The budgetary allocation towards food safety is
inadequate and not prioritized in some line ministries.
Challenges cont….
Information, Education and Communication (IEC)
• Information: The system of generating, collecting,
collating and rapid dissemination of food safety
information is underdeveloped. The general Public
awareness on Food Safety is insufficient.
• Education: The linkage between research, regulatory
agencies, training institutions and industry is weak.
• Communication amongst stakeholders: Currently this
communication network amongst the stakeholders is
weak and not fully effective.
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Gaps to be Addressed
• National Food Safety Policy(draft) to be adopted into law.
• NFSCC to be given legal backing to be able to address food
safety issues
• Strengthen
Food
Safety surveillance
system
and
Laboratories to generate scientific data
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Primary Responsibility to Safe Food
Despite the provision of the official food safety control
mechanisms by the government, the responsibility of
food safety rests with the business operators along the
food chain.
• THANKYOU!