On September 30, at the gate of Binh Minh Secondary School, Binh Minh Commune, Thanh Oai District (Hanoi), a group of people distributed free honey tea products to students. After drinking, student NHH (class 6A, 12 years old) had symptoms of stomach ache and nausea, the school took him to the Commune Health Station and Thanh Oai General Hospital.
On the same day, the hospital received 12 patients with the same symptoms of headache, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting from Binh Minh Secondary School. The patients were diagnosed with food poisoning. In light of the above situation, the Food Safety Department requested the Hanoi Department of Health to urgently coordinate with relevant agencies to investigate and trace the origin of food to clearly identify the food supply; take food samples and specimens for testing to find the cause.
Previously, at Nguyen Quy Duc Secondary School (Nam Tu Liem, Hanoi), 11 students on their way to school bought candy (of unknown origin, green candy wrapper, foreign writing) and shared it among themselves. About 45 minutes later, the students felt tired, had headaches, and felt nauseous.
According to the feedback, currently, along with mobile food stalls, there are also many units and individuals selling, advertising, and giving away free food at school gates for students. However, the management and quality control of these foods still face many difficulties.
A survey of the area around school gates in Hanoi shows that it is not difficult to see sidewalk stalls and street vendors selling snacks. Street vendors are simply bicycles or small carts with mini gas stoves, used oil and grease pans, and have become popular selling points for many students.
The common point of these foods is that most of them have no labels and unknown origins. Shrimp balls, fish balls, fried cheese, grilled meat skewers... or candies and snacks with eye-catching shapes, colorful colors, and cheap prices are popular with children.
According to observations, food preparation is also very simple, done right on the street, without cover, many dishes are even fried over and over again, very easy to spoil, increasing the risk of food poisoning, especially in hot weather.
Mr. Nguyen Hoa, a parent of a primary school student in Tay Ho district (Hanoi) shared: "In the busy pace of life, I, like many other parents, am busy with work and have difficulty preparing enough breakfast for my children, so I often give my children money to buy snacks for breakfast. Once, I discovered that my child did not use that money for breakfast but saved it for recess to contribute money with his friends to buy snacks outside the school gate."
Ms. Mai Lan (Ha Dong district, Hanoi) said that recently, there have been cases of students getting food poisoning after eating snacks at the school gate, which makes her very worried, because her children also often eat these types of foods.
Regarding this issue, Professor, Doctor specializing in pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition Nguyen Gia Khanh analyzed the harmful effects of preservatives, additives, chemicals, and "super cheap" colorants sold at street vendors at school gates that have unclear origins, are not properly preserved or processed, so they can easily cause food poisoning, and in the long run will affect children's health. In particular, if eaten for a long time, it will affect the body's metabolism and make it easy to get cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, etc.
The City People's Committee has a thematic plan "Strengthening food safety control in and around school gates in Hanoi". Accordingly, the plan aims to promote propaganda, education, raise awareness, identify responsibilities and actions of Party committees and authorities at all levels in ensuring security and food safety in and around school gates; at the same time, promote the role and responsibility of educational institutions, organizations, individuals and enterprises in implementing food safety regulations; control food safety, trace the origin of food in and around school gates to promote food safety management, proactively prevent food poisoning and food-borne diseases for students.
The subjects of application are educational institutions from preschool to high school, vocational education institutions; public and non-public vocational education and continuing education centers in the city that have collective kitchens and canteens; food service and street food establishments; grocery businesses; establishments that produce and trade in products and food that provide raw materials for food processing to food production, processing and trading establishments.
Authorities need to handle establishments that violate administrative regulations in the field of food safety, and publicize the names of establishments that violate food safety regulations in the mass media...
The City People's Committee requires synchronous, drastic and effective implementation of food safety control work in and around school gates with a focus on key areas, focusing on high-risk food groups, ready-to-eat food and drinks, and establishments providing ready-to-eat meals...
Along with the implementation of the City People's Committee's plan to protect children from the risk of food poisoning in front of school gates, public opinion believes that it is necessary to have the participation of forces with synchronous solutions.
First of all, local authorities and functional agencies need to strengthen local management; regularly inspect, seize and strictly handle violations of food safety, especially violations of trading in counterfeit goods, goods of unknown origin, and goods that do not ensure food safety at school gates.
Along with that, there needs to be cooperation between schools and families in managing and closely monitoring the activities of students and their children.
The authorities also need to strengthen school communication with diverse and vivid forms to help students raise awareness and vigilance against foods of unknown origin; at the same time, proactively coordinate with local authorities to organize inspections and handle business establishments around the school gate.
Source: https://nhandan.vn/khong-chu-quan-trong-kiem-soat-an-toan-thuc-pham-tai-truong-hoc-post836574.html
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