Over 4,500 workers from garment and textile factories in Binh Duong and surrounding provinces participated in a run in support of workplace safety and health on May 17 in southern Binh Duong province.

The event was held by Better Work Vietnam, a partnership between the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), in collaboration with the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour.

It was intended to strengthen the relation between workers, employers, clients and the community and raise awareness of occupational safety and health, notably the importance of a healthy eating habit, in the apparel industry.

There are about 350 garment and textile and footwear factories across the country. South Vietnam, including Binh Duong province, is home to 430,000 workers, 80 percent of whom are female.

A recent survey of workers at some clothing factories revealed that there are a large number of garment workers suffering from lack of nutrition due to unhealthy dietary habits such as skipping breakfast. Diarrhoea and respiration diseases are common diseases among them.-VNA