Responsibility and functions of National Institute of Nutrition

Update: 3/28/2012 - View: 16615

1. Scientific research:

a) Research on nutritional requirements and dietary intake of Vietnamese people appropriate to human physiological status and socio-economic conditions of the country in each period.

b) Food and nutrition surveillance, nutritional epidemiology studies and other nutrition-related health problems.

c) Research on nutritive values and health aspects of Vietnamese foods.

d) Research on food hygiene and food safety

e) Research on and development of approaches and solutions to improved nutritional status, food hygiene and food safety.

f) Development of food-based dietary guidelines for Vietnamese people.

2. Training:

a) Operate PhD in Nutrition program followed the Decision of the Prime Minister.

b) Provide pre-service, post-service, re-fresher and updated training for trainers in nutrition, food science and food safety from universities, colleges, technical schools and staffs working in the field of nutrition and food safety control.

c) Cooperate with medical and pharmaceutical universities, colleges, and schools in post-graduate training, graduate training and technician training, as well as other training courses on food and nutrition abide by the Government’s regulations.

3. Operational and development activities:

a) Operate nutrition intervention programs in the communities.

b) Operate nutrition information, education, communication and counseling; Provide food-based dietary guidelines appropriate to each period of the country.

c) Provide laboratory test for locally produced and imported foods; Participate in state inspection on imported foods; Supervise food poisoning; Provide technical consultancy  on food safety tests.

d) Participate in development of regulations, rules and laws related to food and nutrition; Participate in development of food quality standards in dietary pattern of Vietnamese people. 


4. Network coordination:
NIN reinforces, supervises and evaluates the technical operation of the community-based nutrition network, of the facility-based nutrition and dietetic network, and food safety laboratory network, as well as other nutrition programs and projects at various institutions and agencies working in the field of nutrition and food safety.

5. Education and communication:
a) Cooperate with relevant institutions and units to develop contents, methods and formats for nutrition and food safety education and communication appropriate for Vietnamese people.

b) Cooperate with other sectors in education and communication; Conduct social mobilization for effective implementation of nutrition and food safety control activities. 

6. International cooperation:
a) Actively seek international funding from institutions and individuals to invest in scientific research, capacity building, equipments and supplies and basic infrastructure; effectively use of technical and financial supports to further develop the institute.

b) Cooperate with regional and international research institutes, agencies, Government and Non-government organizations following the laws in scientific research and application in the field of nutrition and food safety control.

c) Cooperate in scientific research and implementation of regional and international food and nutrition projects

d) Make plan for visits (in and out) within international cooperation programs; Send staffs for study, research and business oversea as well as receive international experts, teachers and students coming for research, exchange and study in the institute. NIN is responsible with the Government for allowing its staff to go oversea and manage in and out groups abide by current laws and regulations.

7. Institutional management:
a) Develop and operate the institute’s regulation abide by the current laws.

b) Manage and effectively utilize the institute’s resources, personnel, monetary, equipments and supplies abide by the Government’s regulations.

c) Properly follow Government’s regulations in financial management, working towards self-management in financing

d) Establish state-owned business within the institute if needed for the production and trading of nutrition products and technical services relevant to the institute’s mandate and abide bide current regulations.

e) Operate scientific and technical services, international and domestic cooperation projects to support professional activities and to raise funding for the development of the institute as well as the welfares of its staffs.

f) Maintain reporting systems on all activities of NIN following current regulations.