In order to improve the health, physical strength and stature of people, especially children and women in disadvantaged areas, the Department of Health of Vinh Long province has just issued Plan 3073/KH-SYT to implement the content of "Improving nutrition" in 2025, under the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction.
The plan aims to improve nutrition, reduce the rate of malnutrition in children, contribute to improving population quality and sustainable development.
Activities will be implemented across the province, focusing on vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, mothers raising young children and children under 16 years old, especially in rural areas, remote areas and areas with special difficulties along the coast and beaches.
According to the 2025 review data, the whole province currently has more than 12,200 poor households (accounting for 1.23%) and over 20,500 near-poor households (accounting for 2.07%), most of whom live in rural areas, where access to healthcare, education and nutrition services is limited. The rate of children under 5 years old with hypoglycemia is about 11%, in particularly difficult communes alone, it is up to 17.5%.
Faced with this situation, Vinh Long province has set a target of reducing the rate of malnutrition in children under 5 years old to below 11%, and below 17% for areas with special difficulties.
The province also aims to ensure that at least 80% of pregnant women and malnourished children are adequately supplemented with micronutrients such as vitamin A, iron, zinc and folic acid, thereby reducing anemia, micronutrient deficiencies and improving public health.
To achieve the goal, the health sector will closely coordinate with departments, branches and local authorities to organize many appropriate intervention activities.
The focus is on enhancing communication and reasonable nutritional advice for pregnant women, mothers raising young children and children; encouraging exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, instructing children to eat supplementation properly and ensuring a nutritious diet.
The province also implemented activities to improve school meals in kindergartens and primary schools, helping children access a balanced, safe nutritional diet suitable to the conditions of each locality. Schools are instructed to build scientific menus, combined with monitoring and periodic supervision of students' nutritional status.
Nutrition communication and education will be expanded through newspapers, radio stations, social networks and grassroots communication systems to raise awareness, change eating habits, and health care in the community.
Plan 3073/KH-SYT also emphasizes improving the capacity of grassroots health care staff. The Department of Health will organize training courses on consultation skills, guidance and monitoring of nutritional status; at the same time, provide documents, forms, and monitoring tools for commune and ward health stations to effectively implement.
Regarding implementation, the Department of Health assigned the Department of Medical Affairs to preside over and coordinate with the Provincial Center for Disease Control (CDC) to guide, supervise and summarize the results. The Planning and Finance Department and the provincial CDC are responsible for appraising and allocating funds in accordance with regulations.
The provincial CDC is the focal unit for advising and organizing the implementation of professional activities, communication, training and guidance for regional health centers, commune and ward health stations to manage and provide micronutrient distribution.
Regional health centers and commune and ward health stations should follow the instructions of the Ministry of Health and the Department of Health to develop specific plans suitable to the reality of each locality, ensuring that activities are carried out synchronously, practically and bring clear efficiency in the community.
