On the morning of September 26, the Department of Population, Ministry of Health held a rally in response to World Surgery Day. World Caretaker Day is a global campaign, emphasizing the role of family planning in protecting health, reducing poverty, improving the health of mothers and children, improving the quality of life and promoting sustainable development.
Mr. Le Thanh Dung, Director of the Department of Population, said: Resolution No. 21-NQ/TW, 6th Conference of the 12th Central Executive Committee clearly stated that "Continuing to shift the focus of population policy from family planning to population and development", does not mean that family planning will not be implemented but will continue to implement family planning so that all women with birth control needs have convenient access to family planning services.
"We hope that in the coming time, we will continue to receive close cooperation from all levels, sectors, international organizations, and development partners to support people in implementing birth control measures to avoid unwanted pregnancy, prevent infertility, reduce abortion, reduce maternal and child mortality rates related to maternity and improve the quality of life of people" - Mr. Dung said.
In Vietnam, the quality of family planning services has been gradually improved, the rate of birth control use has reached and remained high compared to the region and the world.
However, according to Mr. Dung, we are facing many major challenges, especially meeting the increasingly high and diverse needs of adolescents and young people.
"The age of first marriage increases, while the age of first sex decreases. The need for unmet contraceptive care has increased, especially the rate in the unmarried/unmarried group in 2021 reached 40.7%.
The rate of women aged 20-24 who get married before the age of 18 is still high, especially in rural areas, the Northern Midlands and Mountains.
The rate of women aged 2024 who have given birth before the age of 18 is very different between the groups of subjects: This rate is very high among the poorest group; Mong, Tay Thai, Muong, Nung ethnic groups; Northern midland and mountainous areas" - said the leader of the Department of Population.
Strengthening the provision of quality family planning services
From this situation, the implementation of family planning goals continues to be an important content of population work.
The leaders of the Population Department requested the Population Department/Department of Population to advise the Departments of Health of provinces/cities to coordinate with departments, branches and sectors to direct the implementation of a number of contents as follows:
One is to ensure adequate and timely conditions for all women of childbearing age to access information and family planning services conveniently, safely and effectively; continue to prioritize and support minors and young people.
Two is to promote communication, consultation and increase the provision of quality family planning services, suitable for the learning, working and living conditions of adolescents and young people, contributing to improving the health of adolescents and young people, contributing to Vietnam's sustainable development goals.
Three is to pilot the implementation of innovation in population education and reproductive health activities for minors and young people; deploy models to reduce child marriage, reduce pregnancy and childbirth at an underage age suitable for target groups; characteristics and actual situation of each locality.
Over the past three decades, the world has achieved remarkable achievements. The number of women using modern contraceptives has doubled between 1990 and 2021. The rate of childbirth among adolescents aged 15 to 19 has decreased by about a third since 2000.
In low- and middle-income countries, in 2024, it is estimated that 380 million people will use modern contraceptives, an increase of nearly 100 million people compared to 2012, helping to prevent more than 143 million unexpected pregnancy cases, 29 million unsafe abortions and 144,000 maternal deaths. However, there are still many challenges globally.
According to a WHO report, of the 1.1 billion people who need family planning, 164 million people who do not have access to birth control measures. In developing countries, on average, nearly a third of women give birth at the age of majority.
