To strengthen health care for workers and prevention of occupational diseases in Vietnam

To strengthen health care for workers and prevention of occupational diseases in Vietnam (Internet image) 

Regarding this issue, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

On March 19, 2024, the Ministry of Health issued Official Dispatch 1275/BYT-MT on strengthening the implementation of health care for workers and the prevention of occupational diseases.

To strengthen health care for workers and prevention of occupational diseases in Vietnam

In order to strengthen the protection, care, and health improvement of workers and effectively prevent occupational diseases, especially in areas where workers are exposed to harmful factors and have a high risk of causing occupational diseases, the Ministry of Health respectfully requests the Chairman of the People's Committee of the provinces and centrally-run cities to focus on directing the implementation of the following tasks:

(1) Arrange a budget to implement the assigned goals and indicators in Decision 659/QD-TTg in 2020 and Resolution 19/NQ-CP in 2022.

(2) Direct departments, branches, and branches in the area:

* Department of Health:

- Review and consolidate human resources, facilities, and equipment for medical facilities to meet the needs of labor hygiene management, worker health care, and occupational disease prevention.

- Propaganda for labor establishments to fully implement labor hygiene management and occupational disease prevention as guided in Circular 19/2016/TT-BYT dated June 30, 2016 on management of occupational hygiene and worker health and Circular 28/2016/TT-BYT dated June 30, 2016 on management of occupational diseases.

- Strengthen supervision of the implementation of labor hygiene, health care, and occupational disease prevention at labor establishments and propose strict handling of violations. Proactively direct monitoring of the working environment, examine and detect early occupational diseases at high-risk labor establishments, and organize investigations of occupational diseases to ensure the rights of workers.

- Develop plans, strengthen inspection and examination of medical facilities, providing periodic health examination services and occupational disease detection services for workers and organizations to declare their eligibility to monitor the working environment in areas under their management authority.

- Strengthen the organization and improve the capacity of health care and occupational disease prevention for health agencies, agricultural and forestry farms, businesses, and health care in industrial parks, high-tech parks, and export processing zones. Organize and implement regulations in Circular 28/2023/TT-BYT.

* Direct the Department of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs:

- Take the lead in closely coordinating with the Department of Health to strengthen inspection, examination, and handling of violations of laws on labor hygiene and prevention of occupational diseases at labor establishments with high risks of causing occupational diseases; strictly handle situations where employers violate regulations and do not fulfill their responsibilities to ensure labor safety and hygiene for employees.

- Enhance quality assurance of occupational safety and health training for target groups according to the provisions of the Law on Occupational Safety and Health and guiding documents.

- Promote propaganda, dissemination, and education of laws on occupational safety and hygiene, and prevent technical incidents that cause loss of safety and hygiene, occupational accidents, and occupational diseases in the area.

* Direct the Management Board of industrial parks, industrial clusters, high-tech zones, export processing zones, and employers at labor establishments to increase:

- Information, propaganda, and education about harmful factors, occupational hygiene measures, and the prevention of occupational diseases in the workplace for workers

- Strictly comply with legal regulations on labor hygiene; Organize full occupational safety and hygiene training for target groups; improve working conditions; care for, improve health, and prevent occupational diseases for workers, especially those doing heavy, toxic, and dangerous jobs;

- Carry out self-inspection, risk assessment, and implement measures to ensure occupational safety and hygiene to minimize the risk of labor accidents and occupational diseases.

- Strengthen coordination with trade unions to propagate and guide workers to comply with the law on occupational safety and health and regulations, processes, standards, and regulations on occupational safety and health.

* Directing the Departments of Construction, Industry, and Trade. Agriculture and rural development Information and communications and affiliated departments coordinate closely with the health sector, labor, war invalids, and social affairs sectors to effectively organize and implement legal provisions on labor hygiene, care, health improvement, and occupational disease prevention for workers in the area.

Nguyen Ngoc Que Anh

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