The Ministry of Health introduced on-line public services level 4 to help food production and trading companies in applying for certifications on meeting food safety regulations and conditions.

Service level 4, the highest of the four administration service levels in the country, is expected to create more convenient conditions in the registration process for enterprises involved in the healthcare sector.

The on-line registration service level 4 will allow people, businesses and management units to perform administrative formalities, submit required forms, handle documents and payments and receive results using only a computer connected to the Internet.

Speaking at the launching ceremony on December 17, Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said that the application of information and technology in health administrative management aimed to improve management efficiency, which will result in better handling of community health concerns. In addition, this move will provide more convenient means to offer public services to the people.

"The application of on-line service level 4 is one of the steps taken by the Ministry of Health towards administrative formality reform," proclaimed Tien.

"It will create favourable conditions for enterprises, especially in terms of reducing expenses and time, and increase the transparency and publicity in health administrative management," said Tien.

Tien added that the ministry would extend the level 4 on-line public services to include drug and medical equipment management in 2015.

The ministry started a pilot registration for advertising the content of dietary supplements and food with micronutrients under ministry management early August this year.

Vietnam Food Administration Director Tran Quang Trung said that nearly 600 enterprises that had registered for advertising the content of their dietary supplements and food with micronutrients have been issued authorisation by the on-line service system since the beginning of August.

Sao Thai Duong JSC Marketing Director Hoang Van Giap said that the on-line service in food safety management would create transparency and publicity, as well as ease the difficulties encountered by enterprises in the implementation of administrative procedures.-VNA