One of the Chinese products on sale in Vientiane which may contain melamine.
The Ministry of Public Health on Wednesday warned the public not to buy milk-flavoured candies, milk or milk powder manufactured by the Mengnui Dairy Group and the Yili Industrial Company of China, as they may be tainted with the chemical melamine
A trader at Kongkham Minimart, Ms Boaukheua Chommany: It is very important for consumers to take extra care when buying milk products made in China to avoid harming their health. It is better if people don’t buy milk or milk powder products until the Ministry of Public Health confirms all such products on sale are safe to buy. The authorities should inspect Chinese-made milk products on sale in markets, shopping malls and minimarts to see if melamine is listed in the ingredients. If children are fed milk that contains melamine they risk developing kidney stones if they drink too much. Provincial healthcare offices in border provinces should make sure they temporarily halt the import of milkflavoured toffees, milk and milk powder from China to prevent health problems in Laos.
A Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry employee, Ms Katar Khemmavanh: I think if you often buy milk and milk powder for your children you should use the same brand you’ve always used, to prevent health problems. You don’t want to run the risk of consuming melamine and it’s not worth buying a product just because it’s cheaper. Chinese products are often cheaper, but children may develop kidney stones if they drink too much. It’s very important to check the expiry date of the milk products you buy. Some products stay on the shelves for a long time. If you buy something that’s out of date you risk damaging your health, as chemicals that have degraded over time may make you ill and then you’ll have to spend a lot of money on medical treatment. The authorities should advise traders to ban the import of milk products from China and encourage them not to sell expired products so people don’t get sick.
A medical student, Ms Suvanny Maly: It is very helpful that the Ministry of Public Health has given information to the public so they understand about the situation and know they shouldn’t buy Chinese milk products until it is safe to do so. There are so many different brands of milk on sale these days, so it’s important to stop and consider the quality of a product before you buy it. People should follow the news on television, radio and in newspapers both in Laos and in neighbouring countries so they are aware of what they should and should not eat and drink. It will benefit consumers if the authorities make more checks on milk products to ensure good health for everyone.
An employee at the National Library, Ms Suchitta Duangmany: Nowadays many women don’t have time to breastfeed their babies, so milk powder plays an important role in their children’s diets. I have seen the news on TV about the tainted milk and milk powder which is affecting children in China. I think the authorities in Laos should check all milk products from China before we import any. It would also be a good thing if parents advised their children not to drink milk or eat milk-flavoured toffees made in China for the time being. I think traders should make sure the imported milk products they sell are safe for consumers. They shouldn’t behave selfishly as these products can give customers stomach upsets and other health problems.
10-01-2008, 02:19 PM
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