Prime Minister requests increased inspection after more than 450 people were poisoned in Dong Nai

This direction was mentioned by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Official Dispatch No. 44 requesting ministries, branches and localities to deploy measures to prevent and handle food poisoning.

Although food safety management and food poisoning prevention have achieved many results, the Prime Minister assessed that the number of poisoning cases and the number of people suffering from food poisoning is still high. In 2023, the country recorded 125 cases causing over 2,100 people to be infected and 28 people to die, an increasing trend compared to 2022.

Recently, a number of poisoning cases have been recorded nationwide, especially the poisoning case that occurred in Long Khanh City, Dong Nai Province on April 30, with over 450 people hospitalized for treatment, continuing to cause concern among the people.

Faced with this situation, the head of the Government assigned the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to take appropriate measures to improve the capacity, efficiency and effectiveness of managing food safety conditions for small-scale food production and trading establishments, street food, food service establishments, food safety at markets in the area and subjects according to the management hierarchy.

"Regularly assess food safety risks and implement necessary measures to prevent food poisoning; strengthen inspection, examination, and strictly handle organizations and individuals violating food safety laws in the management area," the dispatch stated.

The Prime Minister also requested the People's Committee of Dong Nai province to direct local authorities to focus on treating food poisoning patients in Long Khanh city.

The Government leader requested the Ministry of Health to direct the promotion of information and propaganda about the risk of food poisoning and food poisoning prevention, especially at tourist sites, tourist areas, school canteens, industrial parks, street food...

The Ministry of Health fully and effectively implements measures to prevent, contain, and remedy food safety incidents, trace food origins, recall, and handle unsafe food in accordance with regulations.

In addition, the Prime Minister also requested the Ministry of Health to strengthen inspection of compliance with food safety laws, strictly handle violations according to regulations; research, develop and effectively use a food safety incident warning system according to regulations; direct timely emergency and treatment for people with food poisoning, ensuring the best health and lives of people when food poisoning occurs.

The Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to coordinate with the Ministry of Health to investigate the cause and take the lead in tracing the origin and handling food poisoning in the assigned management areas according to the provisions of the Law on Food Safety and the assignment of the Government.

Also at the request of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade organize the implementation of a program to monitor, prevent, and contain food safety incidents and analyze food safety risks in the assigned management areas.