During the working group for the review of Bill No. 11279/2024-PE, organized by the Health and Population Commission of the Congress of the Republic, the Deputy Minister of Public Health, Henry Rebaza, highlighted that the country is facing a historic opportunity to strengthen public health from its foundation, thru a solid, modern, and decentralized health authority that guaranties risk control in water, air, soil, and food.

The Deputy Minister emphasized that the proposal to create the National Organization for Environmental Health and Food Safety (ONSA in Spanish) is the result of nearly two years of technical work and coordination with various sectors, with the aim of strengthening oversight and sanctions for a uniform and efficient management of public health.

Among the main benefits for the population are the reduction of foodborne diseases and their associated costs, the decrease in economic losses in production processes, greater efficiency in health surveillance and inspection processes, improvement in the competitiveness of the food industry, the protection of public health thru the control of environmental determinants, as well as the promotion of sustainable human development.