Vietnam has achieved many successes in population work.
According to Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan - Deputy Head of the National Steering Committee for Population and Development, the population growth rate in Vietnam has been successfully controlled in recent years. The annual population growth rate decreased from 1.7% in the period 1989-1999 to 1.14% in the period 2009-2019. Vietnam has reached the replacement level of fertility since 2006 and maintained the total fertility rate (TFR) at 2.0-2.1 children/woman.
The population structure has shifted positively, with the working-age workforce increasing sharply, from 56.1% in 1989 to 67.5% in 2023. Malnutrition and maternal and child mortality rates have decreased sharply. The stature and physical strength of Vietnamese people have also improved significantly. Vietnam entered the "golden population" period since 2007, creating opportunities to increase investment in social security, health care, education, and employment.
Minister Dao Hong Lan emphasized that the achievements of population work have contributed to the sustainable development of the country; contributed to the successful implementation of previous Millennium Development Goals and towards the successful implementation of the Vietnam Sustainable Development Goals (VSDGs).
But there are many challenges.
According to the Director of the Department of Population (Ministry of Health) Le Thanh Dung, for three consecutive years, the national fertility rate has decreased below the replacement level (2.1 children/woman), in 2023 it was 1.96 children/woman, and it is estimated that in 2024 it will decrease to 1.91 children/woman, this is the lowest decrease in history and the trend is forecasted to continue to decrease in the coming time.
Although the gender imbalance at birth has decreased, it remains high (estimated to be 112/100 in 2024). There are still many shortcomings in improving population quality, promoting the role and health care of the elderly to adapt to population aging; and in communication and advocacy, and providing reproductive health care/family planning services to the people.
The resources invested and allocated by both the central and local governments for population activities are low, not meeting the requirements for implementing population tasks in the new situation. The organizational structure for population work at the central and local levels has changed...
Despite many achievements, population work is currently facing many difficulties and challenges, directly affecting the lives, society and sustainable development of Vietnam in the present and future.
In 2023, Vietnam's population will reach over 104 million people, of which about 16 million will be aged 60 and over, accounting for about 16% of the population; it is forecasted that Vietnam will become a country with an aging population by 2036.
According to the Ministry of Health, in 2023, Vietnam's population will be about 104 million people. Vietnam is the 15th country in the world and the 3rd in Southeast Asia with a population of over 100 million people. The population growth rate in Vietnam is 0.84%.
According to Mr. Le Thanh Dung, the Ministry of Health is reviewing population policies, and at the same time developing a report on the current situation and trends of fertility in Vietnam and proposing policies in the draft Population Law. Among them, there is a policy on maintaining replacement fertility to firmly maintain replacement fertility nationwide, especially in the context of the fertility rate in our country has been continuously decreasing in recent years.
Mr. Le Thanh Dung said that this proposal is just one of many solutions to maintain the replacement fertility rate nationwide, avoiding further decline in fertility.
“The disciplinary regulation for having a third child has not been applied to the people for a long time. However, for party members who have a third child, the Ministry of Health proposes that the competent authority issue a document to abolish or suspend the validity of the regulation on the number of children according to Decree No. 08/2008/PL-UBTVQH12 amending Article 10 of Decree No. 06/2023/PL-UBTVQH1 and Instruction No. 05-HD/UBKTTW dated November 22, 2022, in order to not discipline cases of having 3 or more children,” said Mr. Dung.
