FUNCTIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AUTHORITIES AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

(Quoting Decision No. 468/QD-BYT dated February 10^th, 2014 by the Minister of Health regulating functions, responsibilities, authorities and organizational structure of the General Department of Preventive Medicine within the Ministry of Health)

Functions

The General Department of Preventive Medicine is a specialized department of the Ministry of Health, which assists the Minister of Health in implementing state management functions and organizing the implementation of legal regulations in the field of preventive medicine nationwide, including: prevention and control of communicable diseases, diseases of unknown cause, social diseases; prevention and control of non-communicable diseases; school health; community nutrition; border health quarantine; primary health care and community health promotion; use of vaccines and biomedical products; preventive medicine related  tests, bio-safety in laboratory testing; state management of public services in the field of preventive medicine.

Responsibilities and authorities

1. Coordinate the formulation of assigned strategies, plans, programs, projects and proposals in the field of preventive medicine. Submit to the relevant authorities for approval and direction; organize the implementation; provide guidance for implementation after the approval.
2. Coordinate and cooperate in formulating, amending and supplementing legal documents, professional procedures and norms; and technical regulations and policies in the assigned field of preventive medicine. Submit to relevant authorities for issuance; and direct, guide, inspect, supervise the implementation.
3. Prevention and control of communicable diseases and diseases of unknown cause:

a) Direct, guide and organize the implementation of surveillance and early detection of communicable diseases and diseases of unknown cause;
b) Direct, guide and organize the implementation of prevention and control measures for diseases and epidemics;
c) Advise the Minister of Health on declaring epidemic outbreaks and their termination according to legal regulations;
d) Manage and provide data on communicable diseases.

4. Prevention and control of non-communicable, and/or social diseases:

a) Coordinate the formulation of strategies, policies, plans, programs and proposals on non-communicable and/or social diseases;
b) Coordinate the management and implementation of surveillance, prevention and control for non-communicable and/or social diseases;
c) Direct, guide and organize the implementation of prevention and control for risk factors of non-communicable diseases; coordinate the implementation of prevention and control for harm reduction from alcohol and other alcoholic beverages abuse;
d) Direct and guide the implementation, inspection and supervision of prevention and control for non-communicable and/or social diseases; prepare statistics and reports; and develop and manage databases on non-communicable and/or social diseases.

5. Direct, guide and organize the implementation of educational health and community nutrition activities.
6. Border health quarantine:

a) Direct and organize the implementation of border health quarantine activities;
b) Coordinate the surveillance of communicable diseases; environmental sanitation and food safety in border areas;
c) National Focal Point for the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005).

7. Direct, guide and organize the implementation of people’s primary health care in communities.
8. Vaccines and biomedical products:

a) Propose the amendment and supplementation of the list of communicable diseases required to use vaccines and biomedical products;
b) Formulate plans to use vaccines and biomedical products;
c) Manage the issuance, suspension and revocation of certifications of medical facilities qualified to use vaccines and biomedical products;
d) Guide the implementation and supervise the vaccination and use of biomedical products for subjects defined in legal regulations;
e) Guide and supervise the use of vaccines and biomedical products; and supervise the vaccination safety.

9. Preventive medicine related tests and biological safety:

a) Direct, guide and organize the implementation of biological safety measures;
b) Manage the issuance of certifications on meeting laboratory biological safety standards according to legal regulations;
c) Organize the implementation of handling samples that contain or potentially contain pathogens or micro-organisms infective to human beings;
d) Formulate and submit to relevant authorities for issuance of laboratory requirements and standards for diagnosis and confirmation of infectious diseases; and organize the implementation.

10. Coordinate and cooperate to formulate lists of medicines, chemicals and specialized equipments; budget for diseases and epidemics prevention and control; and submit to relevant authorities for issuance. Manage the procurement and distribution of medicines, chemicals, materials and equipments for diseases and epidemics prevention and control.
11. Direct, guide and organize the implementation of health promotion’s information, communication and education; communication on preventive health related risk factors.
12. Participate in prevention and control of bioterrorism upon request.
13. Direct the implemetation of national health target program, field epidemiology training program, projects and proposals in the field of preventive medicine as assigned.
14. Coordinate and cooperate with Ministry’s Departments, General Departments, Administrative Office, Inspectors and related bodies in directing professional activities of preventive medicine Institutes and units in assigned fields.
15. Coordinate, guide and organize the implementation of inspection and evaluation; and coordinate submissions for accreditation of meeting National preventive medicine standards from preventive medicine units.
16. Organize the implementation of field-specific inspections according to legal regulations.
17. Implement scientific researches, application of information technologies and international cooperation in the field of preventive medicine.
18. Direct and organize the implementation of capacity development in professional, specialized and legal areas for officials, staffs in the field of preventive medicine as assigned.
19. Manage officials, staffs, assets and funds according to legal regulations and to assignment by the Minister of Health.
20. Implement other duties assigned by the Minister of Health.

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