Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) technical cooperation for food: safety programs in countries of Latin America and the Caribbean

摘要

This document presents the PAHO response to food safety problems through the Regional Program for Technical Cooperation on Food Protection, created in 1986 in compliance with the request of countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. The Plan of Action has five components: the organization national programs; establishment of systems for the epidemiological surveillance of foodborne diseases; strenghtening of control and inspection services; strenghtening of laboratory services, and promotion of food protection through community participation. In the component on the organization of integrated programs, several countries promoted and supported coordination among the health, agriculture, and private sectors for the creation of integrated food programs; a database on food standards was set up to facilitate national and regional harmonization of food laws and standards. To support the organization of foodborne disease surveillance systems guidelines were prepared to help the countries meet their training needs and were adopted by them. PAHO/INPPAZ consultants work jointly with national officials to establish the system at the local level. As a result of these activities, pilot areas for demostration purposes have been established in Argentina, Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama and Uruguay. During the period 1995 through 1997, the countries reported 2,236 outbreaks with 68,868 cases and 173 deaths. In the component on the strenghtening of inspection services, personnel in Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and countries of English-speaking Caribbean were trained in the hazard analysis critical control points methodology (HACCP). In the component on strengthening the analytical capability of laboratory services staff havebeen trained in the detection of microbial and chemical contaminants, with emphasis on emerging pathogens, and support is being provided for the organization of networks of laboratories with quality assurance programs. In the component on food protection through community participation, the countries received support in analyzing the problem of food sold by street vendors and integrating the interest of consumers, producers, and official agencies into food protection programs. Recent problems arising from foodborne emerging diseases, the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), have increased the interest of the countries in the organization of FBD surveillance and in the application of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system to facilitate both interregional and International trade.