The Food Safety Department (Ministry of Health) has just requested the Departments of Health of provinces and cities in the Northern and Central regions to strengthen measures to ensure food safety, prevent food poisoning and foodborne diseases after storm No. 4 and floods.
According to the Food Safety Department, affected localities need to promote propaganda and guide people to implement the principle of "eating cooked food, drinking boiled water", using clean water or treated water for eating and drinking, processing food; washing hands before eating, processing food and after going to the toilet. People need to clean eating utensils, store food dry and clean; absolutely do not use food that has been flooded, polluted, damaged or spoiled.
Localities are required to ensure water safety in flooded areas, guide people to filter and disinfect water according to the instructions of health agencies and boil it before use. Polluted water sources that have not been treated must be warned and not used.
The Food Safety Department also requested to strengthen inspection and supervision at food production and business establishments, food services, collective kitchens, meal supply points and places of receipt and distribution of relief food. Pay special attention to food at high risk, food affected by flooding, power outages or improper storage. Unsafe food must be promptly recalled, destroyed and processed, not allowed to continue circulating or being used as relief food. Localities must also direct not to use fresh fertilizer to fertilize, water vegetables, tubers, and fruits.
In addition, the health sector needs to strengthen supervision, detect and handle food poisoning and foodborne diseases; organize emergency care and timely treatment. When incidents occur, it is necessary to urgently investigate, take samples, identify food and sources of disease, handle pollution sources, and prevent them from arising and spreading.
The Food Safety Department requests localities to immediately implement the above measures, prioritizing areas that are flooded, divided and at high risk; and at the same time coordinate with relevant agencies to ensure food safety and environmental sanitation.
The localities proposed to implement include: Lang Son, Cao Bang, Phu Tho, Lao Cai, Dien Bien, Son La, Lai Chau, Tuyen Quang, Thai Nguyen, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh.
