On October 4^th 2011, Vietnam Public Health Association held a workshop titled: “Reducing the risk of dioxin exposure at dioxin hot spots” in Hanoi. The workshop aimed at introducing the intervention program implemented in Bien Hoa (2007 – 2009) and Da Nang (2009 – 2011) and discussing the opportunities to expand the intervention program to other dioxin hot spots in the country for reducing the risk of dioxin exposure for local residents.

After one year of intervention, the programs implemented at two hot spots were successful in improving the knowledge, attitude and practices on preventing dioxin exposure through foods for local residents at hot spots. Nine out of every ten people are willing not to take their favorite foods if they know these foods are contaminated with dioxin. Among 800 households  systematic randomly selected from six wards near the two airbases, there were three households in Bien Hoa and four households in Da Nang still consumed locally grown high risk foods, dramatically reduced compared with the numbers before the intervention. 

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The participants at the workshop highly appreciated this practical intervention model of VPHA and at the same time suggested VPHA should strengthen the intervention approach in terms of policies and expand this program to other hot spots. Some organizations showed their willingness to cooperate with VPHA in the effort towards preventing dioxin exposure for local people at hot spots.
VPHA will develop the proposal and seeking funds for expanding this program to other dioxin hot spots in Vietnam.