Loopholes in the management of cosmetic facilities in Nghe An
In recent years, more and more beauty service establishments have appeared to meet people's beauty needs. In Nghe An, there are up to 544 beauty establishments, spas... However, many establishments operate illegally, causing many difficulties for state management.
Chaotic activities
In mid-July, according to the reporter's records, Mayo Clinic Aesthetic Institute (Nguyen Phong Sac Street, Vinh City) closed and stopped operating after being fined and suspended for 4.5 months by the Department of Health Inspectorate.
This is not the only beauty salon in Nghe An province that uses many prohibited services. However, due to lax management, many of these establishments have not been punished, or after being punished, everything has gone back to normal.
According to statistics, in Vinh City there are 120 beauty salons, spas..., but up to now only 20 facilities have self-declared and notified that they meet the conditions to provide beauty services through the Department of Health. The rest are either not qualified, or have not yet sent notice to the state management agency as prescribed.
According to current regulations, cosmetic practice establishments are allowed to exist in 3 forms.The first,Cosmetic surgery hospitals and hospitals with cosmetic surgery specialties licensed by the Ministry of Health;Monday, cosmetic surgery clinic is a facility licensed to operate by the Department of Health;Tuesday,Cosmetic service establishments. Cosmetic service establishments are the most numerous type, not allowed to use invasive services; not under the management of the health sector; do not require an operating license but must have a written notice of meeting the conditions for providing cosmetic services according to the form.
By the end of 2023, through the review of the district-level People's Committee Health Departments, the whole province has 554 beauty salons, spas... Of these, only 91 facilities have self-declared and notified that they meet the conditions for providing beauty services through the district and city health departments (accounting for 16.4%). While there are still 463 facilities that have not self-declared or do not meet the prescribed conditions for self-declaration. Many facilities are still operating in disguise, practicing beyond the scope of expertise,... prescribed in the self-declared version.
Regarding the Mayo Clinic Cosmetic Institute, Mr. Tran Nguyen Truyen - Chief Inspector of the Department of Health said that this is a cosmetic facility not licensed by the Department of Health, so the unit cannot conduct regular inspections, but only after receiving a complaint of illegal medical practice. "According to regulations, these facilities are managed by local authorities. Specifically, the health departments of districts, cities and towns," Mr. Truyen said.
Ms. Ho Thi Hoa - Head of Vinh City Health Department said that the unit had previously received a number of complaints about this beauty facility. The city then organized an inspection and made a record but could not impose a fine. That was also the only time the Vinh City Health Department organized an inspection at this beauty facility. "After the inspection, we sent a document to the People's Committee of Hung Dung Ward, assigning the ward to regularly monitor and inspect the business activities of the facility. If the facility is found to be operating beyond the scope of registration, it will be strictly handled according to the provisions of the law," Ms. Hoa said.
The ward does not have the manpower or expertise to inspect and supervise these beauty establishments on its own. “We will only cooperate if the city has an inspection team. If the ward inspects itself, we cannot.
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Khanh - Chairman of People's Committee of Hung Dung Ward, Vinh City
Due to the lack of uniformity in regulations, sanctions, and state management of cosmetic service businesses, and the lack of coordination between agencies, departments, and sectors, many loopholes have been created, causing many cosmetic service businesses to operate illegally, operate beyond the scope of their licenses, and advertise beyond their expertise... causing many incidents and consequences for customers.
Need to strengthen inspection
Hospitals with cosmetic specialties and cosmetic clinics are medical examination and treatment facilities that must have an operating license. Therefore, before operating and providing cosmetic surgery services, these hospitals and clinics must complete procedures to have a license issued by the competent authority. Meanwhile, for cosmetic service facilities, according to regulations, they are not required to have an operating license, but only need a written notice of meeting the conditions for providing cosmetic services sent to the health department where the headquarters is located at least 10 days before operating.
It is because of this relatively "lenient" regulation on operating conditions that the management of the District People's Committee for aesthetic service establishments faces many difficulties. As mentioned, at this time, only 91/554 establishments have made the notification. The remaining 463 service establishments cannot be controlled whether they perform cosmetic spraying, tattooing, or embroidery or not.
Meanwhile, through people's feedback, many establishments often advertise widely and perform cosmetic services using drugs or substances, devices to intervene in the human body such as surgery, procedures, interventions with injections, injections, pumping, radiation, waves, burning or other invasive interventions or tattooing, spraying, embroidering on the skin using injectable anesthetics, injecting fillers... even trading cosmetics of unknown origin, origin and expired. Some establishments also cooperate with doctors "running shows, operating on the street, operating illegally" to perform invasive techniques beyond the permitted level.
According to Ms. Ho Thi Hoa, these beauty salons need to be put under the management of the health sector and must be licensed to operate like medical facilities. “According to current law, these beauty salons do not need to be licensed to operate. They just need to register their business and self-announce their operations, which is very easy, so they grow like mushrooms. When they open everywhere, management is also very difficult. We go to check, through the camera, they know before they even enter the door. Therefore, when we go to check, everything is neat, in accordance with regulations, and nothing unusual is discovered. We only discover when people report, but when we go to check, it is very difficult to detect violations. Therefore, to manage well, we need to change the law, to put them under the management and licensing of the health sector,” said the Head of the Vinh City Health Department.
The management of aesthetic service establishments currently has many shortcomings and difficulties. Aesthetic service establishments are not required to have an operating license. During operation, aesthetic service establishments not only provide spraying, tattooing, and embroidery services as announced, but also use equipment and machinery, and perform other services such as injecting substances such as fillers and botox. Some aesthetic service establishments have weak capacity but advertise beyond their capacity, perform services that do not ensure quality, leading to complaints, disputes, causing social insecurity and disorder and potentially affecting the health of customers... Competent authorities need to consider and research specific regulations for the type of aesthetic service business that must be licensed to operate, such as: Home health care service establishments; emergency service establishments... for effective management and supervision.
Ms. Tran Thi Cam Tu - Vice Chairman of Vinh City People's Committee
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