Food poisoning - Vietnam's permanent problem 


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AFP - Yahoo Asia
June 20, 1999

Food poisoning - Vietnam's permanent problem

"The situation is more and more serious and remains unverifiable," warned
Hoang Thuy Tien, from the ministy of health.

The number of deaths from food poisoning has nearly doubled in three years,
from 23 in 1999 to 41 in 1998. The number of hospital cases caused by the
problem has seen similar increases, from, 1,401 cases in 1996, 2,127 in 1997
and 6,712 last year, according to official health ministry statistics.

These figures are thought to be underestimates and press reports regularly
report cases of mass food poisonings at marriages, parties and in schools
and colleges.

"The state has to be equipped with special hygiene laws and food safety
standards must clearly be the responsibility of the businesses," added Tien.

Misuse of toxic chemicals for preserving and processing produce accounts for
many cases of food poisoning, while 61 percent of cases are directly linked
to pesticides.

Manufacturers use some 42,000 tonnes of pesticides each year, with hundreds
of tonnes of Chinese rat poison and insecticides illegally imported and
used.

The boom in poisoning cases has concerned the government which last April
declared an urgent intensification of efforts to combat the problem. A
one-month campaign to raise awareness of the problem will be launched at the
start of July across the whole country.

Vietnam is one of the only countries in Asia which has not taken any
measures in respect of the dioxin health scare, and belgian chocolates and
biscuits continue to be sold freely on supermarket shelves.

"Many businesses think of profits without thinking of the health of their
customers," said Vu Thi Lang, a retired 68-year-old who shares many of the
general concerns of Hanoi consumers.

The increase of the problem has led to the creation of dozens of state-owned
and private companies which sell vegetables and "clean" drinking water. But
vegetables and water sold by these companies are expensive.

"I do my shopping in places I know to cut down the risks -- but everyone is
threatened by poisoning," said Nguyen Thu Ha, the mother of a Hanoi family.
"I wash my vegetables at least four times before cooking," she added.

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