Northern Division Commemorates World Food Safety Day 2026

Northern Division Commemorates World Food Safety Day 2026

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Northern Division, commemorated World Food Safety Day 2026 under the global theme “From Burden to Solution: Safe Food Everywhere”. The initiative aimed to strengthen public awareness of food safety, prevent foodborne diseases and encourage communities to adopt safe food-handling practices.

As part of the commemoration, the Cakaudrove Health Team conducted school awareness programmes at Uluivalili College, Savusavu Secondary School and Saint Bede’s College between 26 and 28 May 2026. Students and teachers were engaged on key food safety issues, including the prevention of foodborne diseases, risk-based action, the importance of science and evidence in decision-making, changing foodborne disease patterns, and the economic impacts of unsafe food.

The main World Food Safety Day event was held at Uluivalili College on 12 June 2026, bringing together students, teachers, parents, government representatives, community leaders and other stakeholders. The programme included educational presentations and student competitions in poster design, oratory, poetry and classroom awareness displays, helping students communicate important food safety messages in creative and practical ways.

The event also promoted practical action beyond awareness. Food handlers from Natua and Vunidamoli villages received good hygiene practice awareness and demonstrated appropriate food-handling procedures and use of personal protective equipment while catering for the event.

A total of 60 fruit trees and hardwood trees were planted around the school premises with support from the Ministry of Forestry. The tree planting contributed to environmental sustainability, soil-erosion prevention, boundary marking and the development of a future food resource for the school.
The successful commemoration was made possible through the support of the school community, district and provincial leadership, government agencies, health personnel, community leaders, parents, food handlers and other stakeholders. The initiative demonstrated the importance of whole-of-community action in ensuring safe food from farm to fork.

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Northern Division, reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening food safety awareness, particularly among young people and rural communities, and to promoting practices that protect families and communities from foodborne diseases.