The biggest worry is that many Hanoians still enjoy poultry dishes without knowing if the poultry is safe or not.   

“Although information about the recurrence of bird flu is disseminated every day, we are sometimes hungry for chicken and decide to buy them at the market,” said Nguyen Thi Hong Nhung in Truong Dinh ward, Hoang Mai district. “There are many live and processed poultry traders here and sometimes I get confused because I cannot tell which products are sealed and certified by veterinarians.”

According to the Hanoi Veterinary Service, each day the capital city consumes more than 60 tonnes of poultry, of which 60 percent are transported from neighbouring provinces and only one fifth is controlled by veterinarians. Control and veterinary regulations at makeshift markets are not strictly observed. Some traders sell live poultry and poultry products of unknown origin. In addition, almost all equipment of the six commercial abattoirs in the city does not meet hygiene and safety regulations.   

Director of the Hanoi Healthcare Department Le Anh Tuan said that the sealing should be re-considered.  

“We made a fact-finding tour of major markets in Dong Da, Hoang Mai, Hai Ba Trung and Long Bien districts and found that many traders sold poultry and poultry products without seals on them though they were all presented with certificates granted by veterinarians. We thought that these products could be brought here from other places. In Kim Lien market in particular, traders still sold live poultry. They explained that they were entitled to sell live poultry after paying market fees.”

According to Pham Ba Duc, deputy director of the Hanoi Trade Department and head of the Hanoi Market Management Agency, veterinarians at the city’s eight checkpoints find it hard to control the transportation of poultry from other localities to Hanoi as transporters zigzag between lanes to avoid inspection.

Mr Duc said Hanoi will establish more certified poultry places and commercial abattoirs.     

“We will pour investment into marking off market areas for trading poultry products and building two modern poultry and three cattle abattoirs in Gia Lam, Dong Anh, Tu Liem and Thanh Tri districts. We will also intensify inspection of certified poultry and poultry products in all markets to ensure consumers use safe products.”

The Municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reported that in 2006 about 73 percent of total poultry were vaccinated against bird flu. In suburban areas, farmers still observed free-range practice in raising poultry and due attention was not given to preventative work. In the face of bird flu recurrence, the Hanoi People’s Committee asked departments, agencies and localities to take drastic preventative measures with a focus on vaccination and disinfection before the lunar New Year Festival (Tet) which will fall on February 17.   

Le Kha Bac, chairman of the Kim No commune People’s Committee said “Information dissemination is given top priority so that local people are aware of the dangers of bird flu to take preventative measures and fight bureaucracy among local administrations.”