Veterinary education on fostering food safety and governance achieving a healthy nation in Bangladesh

Abstract

Since veterinary medicine plays an important role in assuring a nation's food safety, therefore the present status of our food safety, where large numbers of consumers in Bangladesh have become victims of consuming adulterated foods, needs to be enhanced and governed by the guideline of veterinary and public health educators. This article highlights the need of an integrated collaborative approach between academicians and government officials for the creation and dissemination of food-safety teaching driving force to mitigate food borne diseases, ensure food safety, control mischievous and fraudulent adulteration – all destined to a harmonious national health strategic action plan. Veterinary education is very effective for cor- rect implementation of the stable to table concept and best serves the public when it is updated on current market needs of food products and measures protecting animal health. Universities in Europe and USA have adjusted their veterinary medicine curricula during the past few years. Experts predicted determinant changes by 2020 that would influence the work of the veterinarians. All of them are in favor of placing food quality and food safety and public health as the highest priorities in future veterinary education. In Bangladesh, Universities and Veterinary Colleges are producing qualified Veterinary Food Hygienists to deal with matters of health and demands for consumers’ food protection. The veterinary education blends veterinarians with strong capacity to advocate the assurance of food quality and safety from farm to fork. Government in collaboration with veterinary food hygienist should advocate academic and field covered sciencebased food safety system. It is hoped that in the near future Bangladesh will come forward with veterinary public health responsibilities incorporated in national food safety program. The concerned authorities in collaboration with international public health authority like WHO should establish a center for food safety, food quality control, and zoonoses.