WLI Alumna Taina Waqaliva has come away from an international conference for environmental health practitioners inspired by new ways and networks to optimise food safety in Fiji.
Through the Women’s Developmental Leadership Program, Taina was supported to attend the 17th International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH) World Congress in Perth, Australia.
Attended by nearly 700 environmental health colleagues from all over the world, Taina says the Congress “provided a platform for insightful discussions, engaging seminars, and valuable networking opportunities” that will benefit the work of Fiji’s Ministry of Health and Safety.
The first and youngest female Environmental Health Officer to lead and manage Fiji’s Food Unit, Taina says the five-day experience not only built her confidence and connections, but also opened her eyes to activities she can replicate to improve food safety practices in Fiji – especially during times of disaster when reliance on food donations and imports is high.
The 17th IFEH World Congress was held from the 20-24 May, 2024, and hosted by the IFEH and Environmental Health Australia.
The multi-sectoral event provided a platform for environmental health practitioners to share knowledge on the most recent techniques, developments, and innovation in their field.
Taina was particularly interested to attend sessions on, and stay up to date with, diseases and science relating to food – including risks relating to sampling, importation, and food donations.
Throughout the Congress, Taina picked up on a consistent reinforcement of “the significance of community engagement and empowerment in promoting positive health outcomes and sustainable development” globally.
She explained, “Case studies and best practices shared during sessions highlighted the transformative impact of grassroots initiatives, participatory approaches, and social mobilisation strategies in addressing local environmental health challenges.”
According to Taina, insights shared by Congress speakers will help to build the capacity and competency of her officers and improve processes and procedures protecting and preventing foodborne illness outbreaks in Fiji.
In one instance, Taina became more aware of and vigilant against the heightened risk of aflatoxins present in wheat products and raw materials from particular regions around the world.
In another session, she learned new processes to monitor and manage donated food products during times of environmental disaster, prompting her to prepare a checklist and guidelines to manage food items during such times in Fiji.
She explained that when food products are donated, food safety officers conduct general inspections and do not adhere to specific guides or checklists to ensure foods won’t “cause illness or further burden in such time of disaster”.
If her Unit adopts such processes, “It will be a first for Fiji and surely for the Pacific who are recipients of humanitarian aid from overseas,” Taina explained.
Another insight that Taina learned about and intends to apply to her work is the presentation of her Unit’s data on imported food and food sampling – for research and advocacy purposes.
She believes that using data more frequently – including during meetings, presentations, and in studies – will help her team demonstrate potential issues and solutions to improve food safety.
“Being exposed to such platform has boosted my confidence more,” says Taina.
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Through the WLI Leaders Hub, alumni of the Women’s Developmental Leadership Program like Taina apply for and access supported workplace internships and professional development opportunities, including participation in international conferences.
