The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Building Healthy Cities (BHC) project recently partnered with the Da Nang city government to kick off a series of activities focused on food safety, part of an integrated approach to health.

An initial meeting was convened on January 26th with stakeholders including Department of Foreign Affairs, Food Safety Management Authority (FSMA), Department of Health, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Da Nang Women’s Union, NGOs/CSOs, universities, schools, and hotels in Da Nang. The purpose of the meeting was to connect and strengthen this network as well as share the perspectives from attendees in order to promote cooperation and development in the field of food safety.

BHC is partnering with Smart City initiatives and urban health coordination structures in four cities: Indore, India; Makassar, Indonesia; Kathmandu, Nepal; and Da Nang, Vietnam. The project’s goals are to ensure that health is included in the Smart City context; reduce time and cost of producing data to influence policy decisions; and empower citizens to demand better health-related services. In Da Nang, activities are conducted by BHC’s Vietnam implementing partner, East Meets West Foundation, in partnership with the Department of Information and Communications.

The food safety meeting on January 26th included presentations by Dr. Tran Thi Thuy Ha (BHC Program Manager); MSc. Nguyen Thi Hong Hai (FSMA) and Dr. Vu Thi Quynh Chi (Dong A University). Discussions focused on general knowledge on food safety, recently collected food safety data in Da Nang, and food safety and nutrition concerns for kids. According to Mrs. Le Hoang Thuy, “food safety needs to be controlled from the first stage in the supply chain” and her department, Da Nang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, is responsible for this issue in Da Nang. Mrs. Thuy shared her opinion that hazard analysis and critical control points is commonly applied in food processing for export, but should be widely expanded to enhance food safety hygiene in all stages of the food production chain.

The recent meeting is the first step in a series of food safety-focused activities, including training for city residents, especially for vulnerable women and children, and the development of a food safety app. Through these and other activities, BHC hopes to lay the groundwork for long-term, sustainable initiatives to help make Da Nang a smarter, healthier city.

About the Building Healthy Cities Project

Building Healthy Cities (BHC) is a five-year cooperative agreement funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under Agreement No. AID-OAA-A-17-00028, beginning September 30, 2017. BHC is implemented by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI) with partners International Organization for Migration, Thrive Networks Global, and Urban Institute, and with support from Engaging Inquiry, LLC. This Project is made possible by the generous support of the American people through USAID. USAID administers the U.S. foreign assistance program providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide.

For more information, please contact Dr. Tran Thi Thuy Ha, Program Manager, East Meets West Foundation at ha.tran1@eastmeetswest.org.