Businesses urge Da Nang to open mobile sales points due to shortage in food supply

Shortage in food supply at ‘three on-site’ businesses

According to Da Nang Hi-Tech Park and Industrial Zones Authority (Da Nang HPIZA), there are 179 businesses with 15,075 employees deploying "three on-site" according to Decision 2788/QD-UBND dated August 14, 2021 and Decision 2860/QD-UBND dated August 25, 2021 of Da Nang People’s Committee to focus on COVID-19 prevention and control.

Businesses in industrial zones in Da Nang need additional food supply and essential goods to serve workers when implementing "three on-site".

Following Decision 2788/QD-UBND dated August 14, businesses in Da Nang have prepared food and essential goods for their workers for 7 days complying ‘three on-site’. However, businesses had to endure for an additional 3 days under Decision 2836/QĐ-UBND dated August 21.

Businesses continued to struggle with the shortage in food supply and essential goods when the city applies an extra 10 days ‘three on-site’ under Decision 2860/QD-UBND (from August 26 to September 5).

Da Nang only allows a few hours of ‘opening’ before the application of Decision 2860/QD-UBND and businesses claim that amount of time were not enough for them to change workers’ shifts, restock food and essentials goods, especially for businesses with a large number of workers.

Due to the lack of food and necessities, businesses in Hoa Khanh Industrial Zone proposed to urgently open mobile points selling food and essential goods in industrial zones.

Da Nang Hi-Tech Park and Industrial Zones Authority said that they have received requests regarding food supply problems from businesses and they have forwarded requests to the Da Nang Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control. Da Nang HPIZA have repeatedly proposed to the People's Committee to arrange a food supply point in every industrial zone but the request has yet been response.

No official instruction on the implementation of ‘three on-site’

From July 22, 2021, Da Nang People's Committee issued Official Letter No. 4537 on supplementing urgent measures to prevent and control the coronavirus.Accordingly, Da Nang People's Committee requires businesses, factories in industrial parks and high-tech zones to implement COVID-19 prevention and control plans as prescribed; encourage the implementation of “three on-site” scheme.

On the basis of Official Letter 4537 of Da Nang People's Committee and Guideline No.2242 dated July 14 of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Da Nang Hi-Tech Park and Industrial Zones Authority has issued Official Letter 2144/BQL dated July 27, 2021 proposing the People's Committee to allow businesses to isolate and production inside the Da Nang Hi-Tech Park and Industrial Zones.

However, Da Nang HPIZA said they have yet to receive instructions or guideline from the People's Committee on implementing "three on-site". Therefore, the application of ‘three on-site’ among businesses in Da Nang has not yet ensured the regulations, potentially posing risks when incident occurs.