By Ross Jackson

Godwin Balasingam speaking at the QNFSP seminar
The findings of an audit conducted by a working group comprising representatives of several ministries on the subject of food safety were presented at a seminar organised by the Qatar National Food Security Programme (QNFSP) yesterday.
Wassan al-Baker, manager of Food Safety and Environmental Health Division of the Supreme Health Council, discussed many of the gaps in current food safety policy that will be addressed by the QNFSP.
It was revealed that there was a lack of a clearly defined policy, strategy or plan for food safety. “Several agencies are legally required to carry out a food safety role, but there was no co-ordination between them or mandatory reporting of food borne illnesses to the Communicable Disease Centre.”
 Al-Baker is optimistic that these particular issues can be addressed quickly as legislation can easily be passed once a consensus is reached. “New standards for appointing inspectors are required and standard operating procedures still need to be determined.
“There is a lack of lab space available for testing and quality control given the volume required in maintaining food safety for the public. The lab currently in place is undergoing refurbishment and renovation which will be completed in the next eight months. The lab also lacks an information management system and is not ISO 17025 accredited.”
Al-Baker said that the existing lab was still functioning and has sophisticated equipment and a highly competent and qualified staff.
Education and skill development is still required to meet the necessary level of employee qualification for any new oversight and regulatory bodies to be effective. QNFSP is promoting the creation of an agricultural university as part of a ten-year implementation phase. Already existing universities will also assist to meet the requirements of any food safety agency.
Al-Baker said that a single unified agency responsible for food safety will improve communication between all the ministries and parties involved in the task both locally and internationally and is recommended by the World Health Organisation. 
The QNFSP comes under the Office of HH the Heir Apparent, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and co-ordinates the efforts of numerous experts and ministries to achieve a range of goals, including the establishment of a single national agency to manage food safety for imported and locally produced foodstuffs. 
Godwin Balasingam, a senior adviser for regulatory affairs at QNFSP, expects that a new food safety law will be drafted and enacted in order to implement necessary changes and improvements.
Health and nutrition are also key components QNFSP’s master plan.
At Tuesday’s seminar, Tahra ElObeid, head of the department of Health Sciences at Qatar University (QU), presented a National Health Strategy to be implemented between 2011 and 2016. Nutrition and physical activity will be critical components in obesity and diabetes prevention. The needs of women and children will be targeted as they are considered to be at-risk groups, with the rate of obesity among women significantly higher than men. Almost 40% of children in Qatar are overweight or obese, according to reports from 2003.
QU will be running a multidisciplinary Human Nutrition Programme bridging the fields of nutritional, food, basic, clinical and social science. Registered dietitians will be trained and posted at medical and educational facilities to provide information and assistance.
According to Dr Abdulbari Bener, head of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology at Hamad Medical Centre, approximately 17% of Qataris are diabetic and a high prevalence of pre-diabetics indicates that this statistic is likely to rise.