Decision No. 1845/1999/QD-BYT Regarding the Responsibilities of Bureaus, Departments, and Institutes for Quality Management and Food Safety Sanitation

Pursuant to …;

Regarding the Regulation on the Responsibilities of Bureaus, Departments, Institutes for Quality Management and Food Safety Sanitation Work

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 THE MINISTER OF HEALTH

Pursuant to the Government Decree No. 68/CP dated October 11, 1993, stipulating the functions, tasks, authorities, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Health.

Pursuant to the Prime Minister's Decision No. 14/1999/QĐ-TTg dated February 4, 1999, establishing the Bureau of Quality Management and Food Safety Sanitation under the Ministry of Health,

Pursuant to Directive No. 08/1999/CT-TTg dated April 15, 1999, on strengthening quality assurance and food safety sanitation work,

Pursuant to the Minister of Health's Decision stipulating the tasks, organization, and staffing of the Bureau of Quality Management and Food Safety Sanitation,

At the proposal of the Director of the Bureau of Quality Management and Food Safety Sanitation, the Department Head of the Department of Organization and Cadres - Ministry of Health.

DECISION:

Article 1. Issued together with this Decision is the "Regulation on the Responsibilities of Bureaus, Departments, Institutes for Quality Management and Food Safety Sanitation Work".

Article 2. This Decision takes effect 15 days from the date of issuance. All previous regulations that conflict with this Decision are hereby abolished.

Article 3. The following officials are responsible for implementing this Decision: the Director of the Office, the Inspector General, the Department Heads of the Preventive Medicine Department and other Departments under the Ministry of Health, the Director of the Bureau of Quality Management and Food Safety Sanitation, the Directors of the Institute of Nutrition and Regional Institutes, and the Directors of Provincial Health Departments directly under the Central Government.

REGULATIONS

Responsibilities of Bureaus, Departments, Institutes for Quality Management and Food Safety Sanitation Work
(Issued together with Decision No.: 1845/1999/QĐ-BYT dated June 17, 1999 of the Minister of Health)

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Part I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. The Minister of Health guides and directs quality management and food safety sanitation work.

Article 2. The Bureau of Quality Management and Food Safety Sanitation is responsible for assisting the Minister in performing state management functions regarding quality and food safety sanitation throughout the country.

Part II

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BUREAUS, DEPARTMENTS, INSTITUTES RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BUREAU OF QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND FOOD SAFETY SANITATION:

Article 3. Implementing the tasks prescribed in Article 2 of Decision No. 14/1999/QĐ-TTg dated February 4, 1999 of the Prime Minister on the establishment of the Bureau of Quality Management and Food Safety Sanitation.

Article 4. Directing, inspecting, and guiding provincial health departments to effectively carry out quality management and food safety sanitation work at the local level.

Article 5. Cooperating with Departments, Bureaus, and Inspectors of the Ministry of Health in organizing the implementation of tasks as stipulated in Articles 3 and 4 of this Regulation.

I. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PREVENTIVE MEDICINE DEPARTMENT

Article 6. The Preventive Medicine Department cooperates with the Bureau of Quality Management and Food Safety Sanitation in formulating guidelines, plans, and programs for preventive medicine work in the field of quality management and food safety sanitation to prevent food poisoning.

Article 7. The Preventive Medicine Department cooperates with the Bureau of Quality Management and Food Safety Sanitation in managing information and guiding the handling of food poisoning cases nationwide.

Article 8. The Preventive Medicine Department cooperates with the Bureau of Quality Management and Food Safety Sanitation in enhancing the testing capacity for quality and food safety sanitation at provincial preventive medicine centers.

II. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE INSTITUTES

Article 9. The Institute of Nutrition and regional institutes assist the Bureau of Food Safety in technical matters related to the nutritional value of food and in developing quality and food safety sanitation standards.

Article 10. The Institute of Nutrition and regional institutes cooperate with the Bureau of Quality Management and Food Safety Sanitation to conduct state inspections on food quality according to Decision No. 1369/BYT-QĐ dated July 17, 1997 of the Minister of Health.

Article 11. The Institute of Nutrition is the highest testing body of the Ministry of Health for food quality and food safety sanitation in case of disputes.

Article 12. The Institute of Nutrition and regional institutes cooperate with the Bureau of Quality Management and Food Safety Sanitation in organizing training courses, conferences, and seminars to enhance testing capacity for quality and food safety sanitation; directing and providing technical support for quality and food safety sanitation for provincial preventive medicine centers, specifically: the Institute of Nutrition ensures for northern provinces; the Pasteur Institute of Nha Trang ensures for central provinces; the West Highland Institute of Hygiene and Public Health ensures for western highland provinces; and the Institute of Hygiene and Public Health of Ho Chi Minh City ensures for southern provinces.

Article 13. The Institute of Nutrition and regional institutes cooperate with the Bureau of Quality Management and Food Safety Sanitation to monitor, inspect, participate in inspection teams for quality and food safety sanitation management work, and implement educational and communication activities to raise community awareness about quality and food safety sanitation in their respective regions as assigned above.

Part III

FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 14. During the implementation process, if there are difficulties or obstacles, the relevant agencies and units should report to the Ministry of Health for timely review, amendment, and supplementation.