Synchronously deploy solutions to limit food poisoning

Since the beginning of the year, many localities across the country have had major food poisoning incidents, with hundreds of people requiring medical treatment and some deaths.

A typical example is the suspected food poisoning incident that occurred after lunch at Shinwon Ebenezer Vietnam Co., Ltd. in Vinh Phuc on May 14, which caused more than 400 people to be hospitalized with symptoms of vomiting and discomfort...

On the evening of May 14, the Ministry of Health issued a document requesting the immediate suspension of the collective kitchen operations of Shinwon Ebenezer Vietnam Co., Ltd., to conduct an investigation to determine the cause of the incident according to regulations, trace the origin of the food, and take food and medical samples for testing to find the cause.

Most recently, on the evening of May 15, in Dong Nai, a suspected food poisoning incident occurred, causing nearly 100 workers working at Dechang Vietnam Limited Liability Company, Giang Dien Industrial Park, Trang Bom District, Dong Nai Province, to be hospitalized.

These workers, after eating crab noodle soup in the afternoon at the company, showed symptoms of vomiting and stomachache. About 500 people ate that same afternoon, however, nearly 100 people showed the above symptoms and were hospitalized...

Previously, in Dong Nai, on April 30, there was also a mass poisoning incident that hospitalized more than 500 people, including cases requiring intensive care and dialysis.

The Ministry of Health had to send a working delegation led by Mr. Nguyen Hung Long, Deputy Director of the Department of Food Safety, to work with the Dong Nai Province Department of Health on this suspected food poisoning case...

Faced with the continuous occurrence of food poisoning, Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen said that regarding food safety, according to Decree 15/2018/ND-CP of the Government, there are 3 responsible agencies: the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Health.

In addition, there is also the responsibility of Party committees and authorities at all levels. Besides, it is also necessary to mention the awareness of people in implementing the issue of ensuring food safety.

According to Deputy Minister Do Xuan Tuyen, in order to do a good job in food safety, in addition to organizing and implementing the Food Safety Law, Decree 15, and guiding documents, we must do a good job of propaganda to raise awareness. In particular, the awareness of Party committees and authorities at all levels in leadership and direction is first of all.

In addition, it is equally important to raise people's awareness of food safety issues to ensure their own health and that of the community. Next, all levels and sectors need to strengthen inspection and supervision, especially of collective kitchens and street food establishments. Some recent food poisoning cases occurred at street food stalls, the most recent in Vinh Phuc occurred at a collective kitchen.

"The Government, the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Health, and other ministries and branches have issued instructions, but now we must inspect and supervise this work to ensure that facilities implement it well from farming to harvesting, processing, and use. The ultimate goal is to bring clean food to people," Deputy Minister Do Xuan Tuyen emphasized.

In addition, according to Deputy Minister Do Xuan Tuyen, there must be close coordination between all levels and sectors. The field of food safety is not only the Ministry of Health, but all levels and sectors must participate because it is related to the issues of farming, harvesting, circulation on the market, processing, use, and is related to many fields.

For example, farming is related to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, harvesting, processing and circulation on the market is related to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the issue of inspection of production and processing facilities is related to the Ministry of Health.

The Deputy Minister of Health also emphasized that the most basic thing is to communicate to raise people's awareness, eat cooked food and drink boiled water, minimize the purchase of food products of unknown origin, do not use unsanitary street food... If we synchronously deploy the three solutions, the food safety issue will gradually improve.