Ugandan experts are now able to carry out independent sampling and testing of various foodstuffs in the country, allowing the Government authorities to determine exposure to contaminated food in a timely manner, prevent the spread of food safety hazards, and contain food safety emergencies such as the recent outbreak of food poisoning in the country’s North-eastern region of Karamoja. This was possible thanks to the enhanced analytical capabilities and new skills developed through support from the IAEA in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), at the country’s main laboratories: the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) and the Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory (DGAL).
“In the past, the lack of adequate diagnostic and analytical testing capacities limited our ability to minimize health risks to the public, including responding to outbreaks and emergencies and investigating suspected causes,’’ said Deus Mubangizi, Manager of the Testing Division at UNBS.
Following reports of suspected food poisoning in the Karamoja region, resulting from the consumption of tainted relief food, the UNBS and the DGAL experts joined the Ugandan authorities to conduct a thorough investigation of this food safety emergency that sent dozens of people to hospital with some deaths also reported.