Doha, May 24 (QNA) - The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) has organised a workshop on the role of regulatory authorities in supporting coeliac disease patients, at the Itqan Clinical Simulation and Innovation Centre in Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City, in conjunction with World Coeliac Awareness Day.

The workshop aimed to highlight the regulatory role in ensuring the safety of food intended for coeliac disease patients and to promote compliance with the applicable requirements and standards to gluten-free foods. It also sought to raise awareness among relevant authorities, and the wider community of the challenges coeliac patients face in their daily lives.

The event was attended by representatives of several regulatory bodies, Hamad Medical Corporation, Sidra Medicine, and the Qatar Coeliac Awareness Association.

In her opening remarks, Director of the Food Safety Department at MOPH, Wasan Abdulla Al Bakar emphasised the importance of strengthening cooperation among regulatory bodies, health institutions, and the community to support coeliac patients and ensure the safety of the food designated for them.

The workshop was held as part of the Ministry's commitment to promoting public health and supporting awareness initiatives aimed at improving quality of life, through the development of an integrated regulatory system that contributes to protecting consumers of all categories and enhancing food safety.

Furthermore, the workshop discussed several important topics related to food safety, the accuracy of nutritional information, and the importance of integrating efforts between regulatory and health authorities and the food sector, to provide a safe and healthy food environment for people affected by this disease.

A panel discussion was also held, featuring several specialists and experts who reviewed the most prominent challenges and practices associated with gluten-free foods, as well as the importance of community awareness and its role in supporting coeliac patients and enabling them to follow a safe diet

During the workshop, emphasis was also placed on the importance of continued cooperation and coordination among relevant authorities, contributing to enhancing national efforts supporting coeliac patients and achieving the highest food safety standards in the State of Qatar. (QNA)