Nearly one in five Burkinabé faces food insecurity, warns Health Minister Dr. Robert Kargougou.

According to the National Institute of Statistics and Demography (INSD), nearly 21% of Burkinabè live in food insecurity, Dr. Robert Kargougou warned during the International Day of Food Safety celebrated on June 7, 2026, in Ouagadougou. Diseases linked to the consumption of contaminated food – collective poisoning, infections by Salmonella, or Escherichia coli, chemical contamination – particularly affect children under five, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with chronic illnesses.

“Our food, a source of life, can become vectors of suffering when poorly stored, poorly prepared, or contaminated,” warned the minister, emphasizing the central role of informal markets, street food sales, and traditional culinary practices in exposing people to risks. Every episode of foodborne illness results in healthcare costs, loss of productivity, and weakens households, he insisted.

Confirming that “food security must be a universal right,” Dr. Kargougou reminded that rural populations, internally displaced persons, and vulnerable families must have the same health guarantees as others. The government assures, he added, that emergency food aid, particularly in areas with security challenges, is subjected to strict controls.

The minister detailed three response axes: strengthening inspections and epidemiological surveillance, with a national system for monitoring collective foodborne outbreaks and chemical residues supported by better-equipped laboratories; training and supporting stakeholders, especially market vendors and small-scale processing units, on hygiene, storage, and temperature management; and finally, empowering consumers through campaigns on “simple actions that save” (handwashing, proper cooking, prevention of cross-contamination, proper storage, safe drinking water).

Under the theme “From burden to solutions: universal access to safe food,” the 2026 commemoration reminds that food safety remains a priority for states. Citing the World Health Organization, Dr. Kargougou noted that 550 million people fall ill each year around the world due to contaminated food, leading to 230,000 deaths, including 91 million cases and 137,000 deaths in Africa. In Burkina Faso, foodborne diseases remain “a major public health concern,” he concluded.