The office of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has released a directive communicating Vice Chairwoman Tran Thi Dieu Thuy’s guidance on enhancing food safety management across the city.
According to the vice chairwoman’s guidance, the city has received a report from the Food Safety Department dated November 11 on the investigation of a suspected food poisoning incident in Hanh Thong Ward, as well as a Ministry of Health directive dated November 3 on enhancing food safety in schools and collective kitchens.
Vice Chairwoman Tran Thi Dieu Thuy instructed all agencies and local authorities to strictly implement regulations from the Government and the Ministry of Health concerning food safety in schools, collective kitchens, food service establishments, and street food vendors.
She emphasized the need to reinforce State management responsibilities in the current context and intensify preventive measures against food poisoning. Relevant departments, agencies, and people’s committees at wards, communes, and special zones must assist and coordinate with local departments of food safety in investigating and handling food poisoning cases.
The Department of Health is tasked with providing treatment-facility information and patient lists to support epidemiological investigations.
Chairpersons of wards, communes, and special administrative zones are assigned to take the lead in coordinating with the Food Safety Department, the Department of Health, and relevant units, and will be held accountable before the city Party Committee and the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee if food poisoning incidents causing harm or danger to residents occur in their jurisdictions.
Earlier, from November 5 onward, hospitals across Ho Chi Minh City received more than 300 food poisoning cases who ate bread from the shop Bich - Banh mi coc. Testing of several samples detected Salmonella bacteria, identified as one of the causes of the outbreak.
