ISLAMABAD: To enhance the exports and ensure the quality of fruits, vegetables, livestock, food and pharmaceutical products from Pakistan, the government has decided to establish Food Agriculture and Drug Administration Authority of Pakistan (FADAAP).
To take the move forward, the second meeting of the stakeholders was held here on Thursday at the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) under the chairmanship of Dr Mukhtar Bharath, Prime Minister’s Coordinator on National Health Services and Regulations.
Chairing the meeting, Dr Mukhtar Bharath said that as per the instructions of the prime minister, the purpose of creating the authority is to make the export of local food, agriculture products and medicine according to international standards. He said that the government will ensure the improvement of quality of local food agriculture products and inputs in Pakistan.
Dr Bharath said that the government of Pakistan is determined to increase exports of local food products, seasonal fruits, vegetables, livestock and pharmaceutical products within the next few years, adding that the Health Ministry in collaboration with other stakeholders is ensuring all the necessary steps to achieve the targets.
He said that the government will establish an authority on food and agriculture-related issues.
The Health Ministry in consultation with DRAP and the provincial governments will prepare recommendations, keeping in view, the global practices which will be presented to the prime minister of Pakistan, the coordinator said.
He said that provision of quality medicines, food and agriculture inputs are a fundamental need of human beings to maintain and improve quality of life. He said that despite technological advancement, public awareness and government regulations etc, adulteration, contamination and impurities in food, drugs, fertiliser and pesticide is a serious health hazard for human beings and poses a stringent challenge for Pakistan to control it. Keeping in view these challenges, there is a need of highly advanced, fully equipped and sophisticated centre to cater to drastic issues in food, agriculture and livestock.
The authority will have a check on adulteration which is a new-fangled marketing strategy for many suppliers who increase their product’s sale by mixing or treating food and drugs with adulterants which is profitable but risks human health. Vegetables, fruits, meat, milk four primitive food items used in daily life by all the standard of living is compromised nowadays. A seemingly healthy food which is supposed to augment growth and development of the human body in reality gives catastrophic effects on the health.
This step also highlights these factors and focus on the need to avoid indulging in such practices in Pakistan as the country is on the verge of a nutritional crisis due to food adulteration. The situation has worsened which has plunged the country towards the abyss of a nutritional crisis and the authorities need to focus on the issue as half of the population of the country appears malnourished, the matter needs to the countered with strong footing otherwise the results would be detrimental.
Through the step the government intends to establish a world class facility with highest standards of professionalism and integrity to ensure availability of quality medicine, food and pesticides to the public, at par with any advanced country in the world under one roof of Science Enclave.
The main objective of the step is to equip the government with an accredited laboratory with authentic results which can stand up to legal scrutiny.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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