There will be a unified management point.
On the afternoon of December 10, at the question and answer session of the 29th session of the 13th Quang Ngai Provincial People's Council, term 2021-2026, many "hot" issues that voters and people of Quang Ngai are interested in were raised for questioning, including the situation of food safety and hygiene.
At the meeting, Ms. Bui Thi Quynh Van - Secretary of Quang Ngai Provincial Party Committee - emphasized that food hygiene and safety is very important in protecting and improving people's health. Ensuring food hygiene and safety, the main responsibility still belongs to the health sector.
"In the past few days, I have been following all levels, sectors, organizations, and organizing many seminars related to the Summary of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW and the arrangement of the apparatus to ensure effective operation. I saw in the speech of former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat that there is an idea that a dairy cow is managed by three ministries. Specifically, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development manages livestock farming, the Ministry of Industry and Trade manages processing, and the Ministry of Health manages milk drinking..." - Ms. Van shared.
Ms. Van said that in the upcoming Central direction, there will be issues under the Central authority that will be regulated to have a unified management point, to ensure effectiveness in State management. Ms. Van suggested that the Provincial People's Committee direct all levels and sectors to issue local technical regulations on food safety in local specialty products.
At the meeting, Mr. Ho Trong Phuong - Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development - expressed that food safety management is currently undertaken by three departments including the Department of Health, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Department of Industry and Trade. Therefore, there needs to be a unit with primary responsibility to advise on this content. It is time to clearly assign tasks and assign responsibility to a unit with primary responsibility for more effective implementation.
Food poisoning still occurs frequently.
Regarding food safety and hygiene, delegates said that food poisoning still occurs quite frequently in the province, including fatal cases. From 2019 to 2024, the province recorded 17 food poisoning cases, with 231 people infected and 6 deaths.
Responding to this issue, Mr. Bui Van Tien - Deputy Director of the Department of Health - said that the causes of poisoning cases recorded in recent years were related to food products from meat (ham, pork floss), vegetables and fruits, unsafe packaged products, natural toxins in ethnic minority areas, coastal areas and microorganisms.
According to regulations, for food products provided by production and business establishments, the owners must be responsible for truthful declaration, closely coordinate with the nearest health agency and People's Committee, seal the food and coordinate with the health agency in the process of taking samples to investigate and determine the cause. The owners also bear all costs related to the investigation and treatment costs for the sick.
Regarding solutions to reduce the number of food poisoning cases, Mr. Bui Van Tien said that it is necessary to continue to direct propaganda work, first of all to raise awareness among people, helping them change their behavior when buying and using food. Resolutely do not use food of unknown origin and not ensuring safety. At the same time, strengthen inspection and supervision of production facilities, collective kitchens and handle violations publicly on mass media, both to propagate and to have a deterrent effect.
