The Ministry of Health announced on May 4 the proposal to create the National Agency for Environmental Health and Food Safety (ONSA) during a working session organized by the Congressional Committee on Health and Population. Henry Rebaza, Vice Minister of Public Health, said this move represents an important opportunity to strengthen public health through a modern, decentralized authority responsible for controlling risks related to water, air, soil, and food.
Rebaza said that this decision could transform public health in Peru by protecting families’ daily lives through oversight of food, water, air quality, and living environments. “We are facing a key decision that can transform public health in the country by protecting the daily life of Peruvian families through control over food, water, air and our surroundings,” Rebaza said.
He explained that this proposal is based on nearly two years of technical work with various sectors. The goal is to improve enforcement and sanctions so that management of public health becomes more uniform and efficient across the country. This would lead to better quality services and regulations for citizens.
Rebaza also emphasized a preventive approach: “The focus is preventive: for the State to act before problems occur rather than after. The aim is to protect one of Peru’s key assets: its gastronomy. It’s not just about quality foods but safe foods as well—which impacts economic development and population wellbeing,” he said.
According to Rebaza, benefits include reducing diseases transmitted by food along with their associated costs; decreasing economic losses in production processes; increasing efficiency in surveillance; improving competitiveness in the food industry; protecting public health via environmental controls; and supporting sustainable human development.
Representatives from several organizations participated in the working session including DIGESA (General Directorate of Environmental Health), Ministry of Production, Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Sanipes (National Authority for Fisheries Safety), Presidency of Council Ministers office, College of Pharmaceutical Chemists, Exporters Association (ADEX), Foreign Trade Society (COMEXPERU), and National Quality Institute (INACAL).
