Strategic Plan for Food Safety

STRATEGIC DIRECTION 2a) Promote cross-sectoral collaboration and information sharingto optimize the response to foodborne health risks, includingoutbreaks21Many Member States still lack the necessary surveillance capacity for outbreak detection,assessment and response. In addition, foodborne disease outbreaks go undetected, in part dueto lack of communication among the human, veterinary, agriculture and food sectors. WHO,with its partners, has a number of networks and tools in place to address these gaps.The Global Foodborne InfectionsNetwork (GFN) was established tostrengthen national and regionalintegrated surveillance, investigation,prevention and control of foodborneand other enteric infections.The network promotes integrated,laboratory-based surveillance andfosters intersectoral collaborationand communication among microbiologistsand epidemiologistsin human health, veterinary andfood-related disciplines. Strengtheningthis network through targeted,needs-based capacity buildingefforts is key in further developingfast-reacting and interconnectedresponse systems.Another important aspect of addressinghealth threats is early warningbased on robust assessment toinform action and encourage timelycommunication. In response tothreats such as the avian influenzavirus H5N1 and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the Global Early Warning System forTransboundary Animal Diseases, including Zoonoses (GLEWS), was jointly established by WHO,FAO and OIE. GLEWS builds on existing internal systems of the three participating organizationsto confidentially track and verify events in order to improve harmonization and decrease duplication.It embodies a unique cross-sectoral and multidisciplinary partnership for early identificationand assessment of health risks at the human–animal–ecosystem interface.