Proposing many new contents in the draft Law on Disease Prevention

Đề xuất nhiều nội dung mới tại dự thảo Luật Phòng bệnh- Ảnh 1. — The Ministry of Health proposes many new contents in the draft Law on Disease Prevention.

Revised and improved content

Regarding the group of general provisions, the draft Law completes the provisions related to the interpretation of terms, thereby adding phrases that need to be interpreted to create a unified understanding in the process of law application, for example: disease prevention biological products, mental health, mental health disorders, etc.

The Draft Law provides an overview of the State's policies on disease prevention and the contents of State management on disease prevention, focusing on the State's policies on disease prevention (including infectious diseases, non-infectious diseases, etc.); priority in supporting and encouraging individuals and organizations to participate in disease prevention, policies to create resources to carry out disease prevention work, etc.

The Draft Law stipulates the responsibilities of agencies and organizations in disease prevention activities, prohibited acts in disease prevention activities; subjects, contents, requirements and forms of information,education and communication on disease prevention; responsibilities for information and communication on disease prevention and international cooperation in the prevention and control of infectious diseases.

Regulations on classification of infectious diseases

The draft Law proposes to remove the provisions on the specific list of infectious diseases and only stipulate the method of determining infectious disease groups and decentralize the Minister of Health to prescribe the criteria for determining the classification of infectious disease groups and classify infectious epidemics according to controllability. At the same time, it adds provisions on the classification and level of infectious epidemics.

The Ministry of Health said that since the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases was promulgated and took effect, many new infectious diseases have appeared. To ensure consistency with the provisions on classification of civil defense levels of the Law on Civil Defense, the draft Law will remove the provisions on the specific list of infectious diseases and only stipulate the method of determining groups of infectious diseases and delegate the Minister of Health to prescribe the specific list of infectious diseases, while adding provisions on classification and level of infectious diseases to suit the practical situation.

The draft Law proposes comprehensive regulations on measures to prevent and control infectious diseases, from monitoring, risk assessment, epidemic investigation, information, isolation, quarantine, testing, vaccine use, ensuring biosafety, disinfection, to testing new methods and epidemic notification; when the epidemic is beyond control, additional measures according to the law on state of emergency and civil defense are added; the Government is responsible for specifying medical isolation in detail, and at the same time assigns the Ministry of Health the responsibility to issue technical guidance on the contents of investigation, declaration, testing, emergency, hygiene and epidemic notification.

Meanwhile, Article 14 of the draft Law clearly states the right to information, access to medical services, confidentiality and respect for human dignity; the right to complain, denounce, and demand compensation if suffering damage; the obligation to honestly declare, comply with instructions and self-prevention for oneself and the community. This also clearly defines the corresponding rights and obligations of disease prevention facilities (such as isolation, reporting, equipment) and of organizations and individuals participating in prevention (such as complying with instructions, ensuring safety, providing information, and mobilizing the community).

Regulations on infectious disease surveillance

The draft Law proposes to regulate the surveillance of infectious diseases, including: (1) Subjects of infectious disease surveillance, including: (i) People with infectious diseases, people carrying infectious diseases and people suspected of having infectious diseases; (ii) infectious disease agents; (iii) reservoirs, vectors of infectious diseases and risk factors; (2) Subjects of non-communicable disease surveillance; (3) Subjects of surveillance in nutrition; (4) Subjects of surveillance in injury prevention and control; (5) Subjects of surveillance in the management of mental health disorders; (6) Surveillance in disease prevention is carried out throughout the entire administrative management area assigned for surveillance. At the same time, the responsibility is assigned to the Minister of Health to specify in detail a number of contents related to infectious disease surveillance.

According to the Ministry of Health, according to the provisions of Article 22 of the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, infectious disease surveillance reports must be made in writing, other forms are only applicable in emergency situations. Currently, with the development of information technology, the collection of reports will be done using online reporting software and the application of online reporting will ensure the rapid requirements of disease prevention and control and to propose appropriate and timely response measures.

Regulations on medical isolation

The draft law proposes that people infected, suspected of being infected, carrying pathogens or having contact with infectious agents of group A and some group B diseases must be quarantined at home, at a medical facility or at a designated location. Medical facilities in epidemic areas are responsible for organizing quarantine according to the direction of the People's Committee. In case of non-compliance, they will be forced to quarantine according to the Government's regulations.

Regulations on medical quarantine

The draft Law proposes to regulate medical quarantine at border gates for people, vehicles, goods, bodies, biological samples entering, leaving, and transiting Vietnam; including collecting, processing information, health declaration, monitoring, inspection, medical treatment, and applying epidemic prevention measures; people and vehicle owners must declare, comply with quarantine, and pay fees; quarantine organizations issue certificates and coordinate with customs and immigration; local authorities ensure conditions, coordinate with international agencies and organizations; the Government shall specify the procedures and measures for handling cases where quarantine has not been completed and organize implementation.

Regulations on biosafety in testing

The draft Law proposes to add additional regulations on ensuring biosafety for tests performed outside the laboratory.

According to the Ministry of Health, Section 4, Chapter II of the new Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases stipulates biosafety in testing, but only mentions biosafety in laboratories and does not mention biosafety for testing performed outside laboratories, while currently testing is still carried out on the move, so there need to be regulations to regulate this activity to ensure the comprehensiveness of the law.

Content related to vaccines and biological products for disease prevention

The draft Law proposes to stipulate basic contents on vaccines and disease prevention biologicals: everyone has the right to fair, lifelong access to and use of vaccines and disease prevention biologicals according to age and vaccination program; vaccines and disease prevention biologicals must meet legal standards, be used voluntarily or compulsorily, for the right subjects, dosage and technical process as instructed by the Ministry of Health. Vaccination - including expanded, proactive epidemic prevention (free) and voluntary - is organized by the State or allows non-public facilities to participate when qualified; The list of infectious diseases and vaccination subjects is issued by the Ministry of Health. Regarding finance and compensation, the central budget ensures funding for free compulsory vaccination, vaccinated people have the right to compensation if they suffer complications; The State and non-public facilities are responsible for compensating for damages according to detailed regulations of the Government and professional guidance of the Ministry of Health.

Additional content

In addition, in the draft, the Ministry of Health also proposed to add some contents: Regarding ensuring nutrition in disease prevention, promulgating regulations on ensuring proper nutrition for each age group and each subject; promulgating regulations on ensuring proper nutrition to prevent non-communicable diseases related to nutrition.

Regarding the prevention and control of mental health disorders, regulations on controlling risk factors for mental disorders related to lifestyle and providing counseling, prevention, support and care services in the community.

Regarding prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, regulations on the content of non-communicable disease prevention and control activities related to prevention and control of risk factors; early detection of non-communicable diseases; prevention for high-risk people; care, treatment, rehabilitation for people with diseases and management of non-communicable diseases in the community.

In addition, the draft also proposes regulations on the Disease Prevention Fund.

Please read the full draft and give your comments here.

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/de-xuat-nhieu-noi-dung-moi-tai-du-thao-luat-phong-benh-10225052811220359.htm