Health news August 24: More than 15,000 establishments violate food safety
In the first 6 months of 2024, the entire health sector inspected 232,702 establishments and discovered 15,046 establishments violating food safety regulations.
Food safety violations decreased compared to the same period.
Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen said that in the first 6 months of 2024, the entire health sector inspected 232,702 establishments, detecting 15,046 establishments violating food safety, accounting for 6.46% of inspected establishments, down compared to the same period in 2023.
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The average fine for an establishment in the first 6 months of 2024 is 8.69 million VND, an increase compared to the same period in 2023 (4.09 million VND).
In the first 6 months of 2024, the country recorded 70 cases of food poisoning, causing 2,942 people to be infected and 12 deaths. Compared to the same period in 2023, there was an increase of 4 cases (6.1%), the number of infected people increased by 1,986 people, and the number of deaths decreased by 1 person.
The reason is that there have been a number of food poisoning cases with a large number of people infected, related to microorganisms (weather conditions are favorable for the growth of pathogenic microorganisms, especially bacteria that cause intestinal diseases).
According to Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen, inspection and examination work is deployed from the central to local levels, with the participation of all levels and sectors.
Food safety monitoring programs are maintained and specialized inspections are expanded to surprise inspections, helping to promptly detect, warn, apply remedial measures and strictly handle food safety violations.
According to the representative of the Ministry of Public Security, in the past time, the police agency has drastically inspected food safety in the first 6 months of the year. Police units have detected, fought and handled 3,060 cases (an increase of 31 cases compared to the same period in 2023) with 3,074 subjects violating food safety laws; prosecuted 6 cases with 10 subjects (while in the same period in 2023, only 1 case was prosecuted).
Measles outbreak declaration depends on local response capacity
The Ministry of Health assessed that there are 18 provinces and cities in the outbreak risk group such as: Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Tinh, Dong Nai, Long An, Soc Trang, Binh Phuoc, Kien Giang, Quang Nam, Gia Lai, Dak Lak...
Since the beginning of the year, Ho Chi Minh City has recorded more than 500 measles cases, including 3 deaths. Dr. Hoang Minh Duc, Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health, said that the announcement of a measles epidemic must comply with the provisions of the law on prevention and control of infectious diseases and the Prime Minister's Decision.
Assessing the measles epidemic in Ho Chi Minh City, the Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine said that although there were high numbers of cases, preparations were very good from the beginning, with a measles vaccination plan to prepare for this epidemic.
Regarding the declaration of an epidemic, it will depend on two main factors, which are the provisions of the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases and the local response capacity.
Mr. Duc also informed that according to the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City has enough grounds to declare a measles epidemic. However, the declaration of an epidemic is also based on the city's response capacity.
According to regulations for infectious diseases in group B, including measles, a commune, ward or town is considered to have an epidemic when the number of people infected with the disease exceeds the average number of cases in the same month of the last three years.
A district, county, town or city under a province is considered to have an epidemic when it has 2 or more communes with the epidemic. A province or centrally-run city is considered to have an epidemic when it has 2 or more districts with the epidemic.
According to regulations, Ho Chi Minh City can declare a measles epidemic. However, the declaration of an epidemic outside of the law is also based on the city's response capacity, resources and professional assessment. Whether or not to declare an epidemic will be decided by the locality."
According to regulations, when an epidemic is announced, the vaccines and all necessary resources will be used locally by localities. The Central Government will not provide support because the Central Government only supports vaccines for regular vaccination programs, while localities must be proactive in fighting the epidemic.
Since the beginning of the year, Vietnam has recorded more than 2,000 cases, of which Ho Chi Minh City has recorded more than 500 cases. In Ho Chi Minh City, measles has appeared in 57 wards and communes, 16 districts; of which 9 districts have 2 cases or more, 3 districts with the highest number of measles cases are Binh Chanh district, Hoc Mon district, Binh Tan district. Notably, in 2024, Ho Chi Minh City recorded 3 deaths due to measles.
Be careful with monkeypox
On August 14, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) to mobilize global and regional public health resources to better monitor and respond to the emerging threats.
Since September 2022, Vietnam has recorded its first case of MPOX belonging to Clade I. Since then, the country has recorded 202 cases with 8 deaths in 18 provinces and cities. Since the beginning of 2024, there have been 67 cases of the disease, with 2 deaths.
In the Southern region, in 2023-2024, 200 cases (8 deaths) were recorded, of which the most were: Ho Chi Minh City (156 cases), Long An (8 cases)...
This shows that, in the context of MPOX increasing rapidly in some countries around the world, especially Africa with more dangerous and more contagious variants in both adults and children and a higher mortality rate, it is completely possible to enter Vietnam with higher danger in the near future.
Following the outbreak of Covid-19 and the announcement by WHO declaring the MPOX outbreak a public health emergency, many people are fearful and concerned that they will face another potentially deadly virus with an even higher mortality rate than Covid-19. However, instead of panicking, we need to be more cautious and proactive in preventing and controlling the epidemic situation.
Vietnam has recorded monkeypox cases recently with an increasing trend. However, the total number of cases remains low and is mainly imported from abroad, quarantined and treated promptly. No secondary outbreaks in the community have been detected, only a few sporadic cases.
The Vietnamese health sector has a plan to respond to the epidemic, including: Strengthening surveillance by continuing to closely monitor and analyze the epidemic situation, promptly detecting and handling suspected cases; improving testing capacity to ensure rapid and accurate identification of early cases;
At the same time, prepare necessary medical facilities, medicines and medical equipment to treat patients and update information and instructions for the community on preventive measures, raise awareness of disease prevention in the community; strengthen training and improve capacity for medical staff on MPOX.
To ensure these solutions, local authorities need to be involved in prevention work, including strengthening surveillance to detect suspected cases at border gates and developing plans.
Prepare and rehearse prevention scenarios according to situations and suitable for the locality with the support of departments and branches to strictly implement disease prevention measures; disseminate information to people about disease prevention measures and support the health sector in monitoring, treatment and testing...
The major challenge related to monkeypox is that the current health system is facing many obstacles and challenges related to ensuring logistics, equipment and medicines including testing.
To be as proactive as before in epidemic prevention, it is necessary to have appropriate adjustments to promote prevention work as well as create opportunities for the development of more specific solutions such as vaccines to proactively prevent epidemics.
The MPOX vaccine is not much different from the previous smallpox vaccine. With Vietnam's technological capabilities, we can create a vaccine if we have more support from international organizations.
And to be successful in any medical intervention, people need to cooperate by complying with disease prevention measures such as personal hygiene, regular hand washing, avoiding contact with sick people, and complying with treatment.
On the other hand, proactively monitor and update official information about the epidemic from health agencies; immediately notify health agencies when there are suspicious signs as well as comply with epidemic prevention measures.
Source: https://baodautu.vn/tin-moi-y-te-ngay-248-hon-15000-co-so-vi-pham-an-toan-thuc-pham-d223178.html
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