NDA to handle food safety

By Jovita Mirembe

The State  Minister of Health in charge of general duties, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi has said that the responsibility of  importation  and handling  of food stuffs in the country is going to be shifted to the National Drug Authority from  Uganda National Bureau of Standards to ensure better performance in this sector.

Dr. Baryomunsi said that this will be under the transformation of the laws and policies in National Drug Authority(NDA) and the law of food safety.

“NDA has been handling drugs for both humans and animals to see that they are safe for consumption but the top leadership  of  Ministry of Health has realized that it should also handle the safety of imported food products because food directly impacts on the disease burden in the country,”  Baryomunsi said.

He said that the Ministry of Health would like to rename National Drug Authority, National Drugs and Food Authority.

The public relations officer of NDA, Fred Sekyana, welcomed the development saying it would help NDA join the new global trend because the world over countries' drug authorities regulate food safety as well.

Dr. Baryomunsi was making a coutersy call at National Drug Authority headquarters in Wandegeya to see its successes and challenges.

The Executive Director of  Uganda Bureau of Standards Dr Ben Mayindo said they welcome the National Drug Food and Safety Authority which will soon be constituted under the Food Safety law.

The Chairman of KACITA, Everest Kayondo, when contacted for comment said that the move by the Health  Ministry is very welcome because it will cause change.

“We as Business people have seen that Uganda National Bureau of Standards is failing in various aspects in the importation of safe food which has caused problems to many people," said Kayondo