Currently, there are 4 schools in the city including: Dinh Bo Linh Primary School, Tan Hung Primary School, Tran Quoc Tuan Secondary School and Dang Thuy Tram Primary School that have stopped semi-boarding meals after the case of 46 cases with suspected food poisoning symptoms at Dang Thuy Tram Primary School (Tan Thuan ward). All 4 schools use meals provided by the same unit.
The suspected food poisoning incident at Dang Thuy Tram Elementary School that occurred at the end of April is being investigated by functional agencies to clarify the cause. The Food Safety Department (Ministry of Health) has issued an official letter requesting the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety to urgently investigate and handle this incident.
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Khanh Phong Lan - Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety, the issue of ensuring food safety at collective kitchens such as schools is always concerned. However, through actual inspection, functional agencies still recorded some errors.
In hot weather conditions, the risk of food safety incidents is still present. When an incident occurs, the handling process is immediately deployed, first of all, to provide first aid to students, then conduct epidemiological investigations, trace food sources and inspect the entire supply chain involved. Violation handling will be based on the results of investigations, tests and assessments of the health sector. Serious cases may be criminally handled.
Ms. Pham Khanh Phong Lan emphasized that the responsibility lies not only with the meal provider but also with the school, especially the principal - the person who bears the highest responsibility if an incident occurs. At the same time, parents and students also play an important role in monitoring and reflecting on the quality of meals.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety recommends that in the hot season, each family and food business establishment needs to raise awareness of health protection by selecting, processing and preserving food in accordance with regulations.
As Lao Dong Newspaper reported, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety has organized a review and statistics of suspected food poisoning cases at Dang Thuy Tram Elementary School; collected patient information. At the same time, conducted epidemiological investigations, verified suspected meals; conducted actual inspections at schools and meal suppliers; assessed conditions for processing, preserving, and transporting food; traced the origin of raw materials.
At the same time, taking food samples stored, drinking water samples being used for testing and requesting individuals participating in processing, dividing meals, serving meals to perform fecal testing.
According to Children's Hospital 2, the results of fecal sample tests in a case detected Salmonella spp bacteria. This is a very common group of bacteria that cause digestive diseases, often related to food poisoning.
In early April, a food poisoning incident occurred in Binh Quoi Tay Primary School (Binh Quoi ward) in the city. The cause is Huu Phuoc Trading and Service Production Transportation Co., Ltd. Branch, a unit providing ready-to-eat meals for Binh Quoi Tay Primary School.
On May 4, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety issued a document requesting the People's Committees of wards (Gia Dinh ward, Binh Quoi ward, Binh Thanh ward, Thanh My Tay ward, Binh Loi Trung ward) to proactively establish working groups with personnel to ensure professional expertise to carry out inspection and supervision of food safety, food poisoning prevention and control for schools and units in the area that receive industrial meals related to Huu Phuoc Production and Transportation Service Trading Co., Ltd.
