On August 11, a supervisory delegation of the Standing Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council, led by Vice Chairman Huynh Thanh Nhan, conducted a supervision session on State management of food safety at the Vung Tau Ward People’s Committee.
Reporting at the session, a representative of the Vung Tau Ward People’s Committee said the ward currently has 1,873 food-related establishments of various types. Inspections and post-inspection reviews have been conducted at 448 of the 1,873 establishments, resulting in administrative violation records being issued against nine establishments for food safety violations, with total fines exceeding VND145 million (over US$5,500).
The ward has also mobilized more than 80 percent of traders at Xom Luoi Seafood Market and four traditional markets to agree to sign food safety commitments.
Alongside the results achieved, the Vung Tau Ward administration frankly acknowledged that State management of food safety still faces a number of challenges. The ward covers a large and diverse area, with a high number of small-scale food establishments, low-cost eateries, street vendors, pushcarts, street food businesses, as well as food businesses operating in traditional markets and densely populated residential areas.
Many of these businesses operate irregularly and frequently change locations, owners, or business models, making it difficult to compile statistics, conduct management, inspections and supervision, and handle violations.
Meanwhile, the human resources directly responsible for food safety management remain insufficient and are required to concurrently handle multiple areas of work.
To improve the quality of food safety management and safeguard public health, the Vung Tau Ward People’s Committee proposed that the city allocate funding, rapid-testing equipment and vehicles to grassroots authorities to support food safety inspections, post-inspection activities and the handling of violations, meeting management requirements in the new situation.
The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has assigned the municipal Department of Agriculture and Environment and the Department of Food Safety to advise on decentralizing authority to commune- and ward-level People’s Committees to receive commitments on safe food production and trading from agricultural, forestry and fishery establishments that are not subject to food safety eligibility certification. The city will also strengthen professional training and capacity-building courses for officials in charge of food safety.
At the supervision session, delegation members paid particular attention to the quality of school meals and the situation of street vendors around schools, as well as street food safety. This issue has drawn heightened concern after a bread-related food poisoning incident at an unnamed eatery in the locality in March, which sent more than 100 people to hospital for emergency treatment.
Regarding the issue, Chairman of the Vung Tau Ward People’s Committee Vu Hong Thuan affirmed that the ward had issued 36 directives and stepped up strict monitoring to prevent food poisoning incidents stemming from street food.
In his concluding remarks, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council, Huynh Thanh Nhan acknowledged the efforts and innovative approaches adopted by the Vung Tau Ward People’s Committee in food safety management following the reorganization of administrative units and the implementation of the two-tier local government model.
He stressed that Vung Tau Ward is a densely populated area, with more than 120,000 residents, and a key tourist destination in the city. Ensuring food safety therefore requires particular attention, as it is directly linked to the health and quality of life of residents and tourists, as well as the local and city-level socio-economic development goals.
Meanwhile, nearly 20 percent of traders at traditional markets have yet to sign food safety commitments. The local administration’s report also did not clearly demonstrate the role of the ward-level Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and mass organizations in supervising food safety.
Mr. Huynh Thanh Nhan also asked relevant departments and agencies to take note of the local recommendations concerning food safety management and study and propose solutions within their respective functions and responsibilities.
The recommendations and proposals raised at the supervision session will be recorded and consolidated. By the end of September 2026, the delegation will finalize its supervision report for submission to the Standing Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council.
