People's quality of life is improved

NDO - Over the past 30 years, Vietnam has achieved many achievements in population work, making important contributions to socio-economic development, poverty reduction and improving people's quality of life in recent times.

Ms. Dao Hong Lan, Member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Health, Permanent Deputy Head of the National Steering Committee for Population and Development spoke at the ceremony.

On the morning of July 11, the Ministry of Health and the United Nations Population Fund in Vietnam held a rally to celebrate World Population Day 2024. The human development index is at an average level compared to the world. Over the past 30 years, Vietnam has made efforts to address inequality and narrow the gap in socio-economic status between regions and population groups. The human development index has improved significantly and reached an average level compared to other countries in the world. According to the Department of Population, Ministry of Health, malnutrition, maternal mortality, and child mortality have decreased sharply. The maternal mortality rate has decreased six times over the past 30 years, from 233/100,000 live births in 1990 to about 40/100,000 live births in recent years. Since 1993, the infant mortality rate has decreased from 43.3 to 12.1 per 1,000 live births in 2020. Average life expectancy has increased rapidly, from 65.5 years in 1993 to 74.5 years in 2023, higher than many countries with the same per capita income. Vietnam has achieved achievements in ensuring access to family planning services. Since 1993, the rate of use of modern contraceptive methods has increased from 41.3% to 70.1% in 2022. In addition, pre-marital counseling and health check-up services; screening, diagnosis and early treatment of prenatal and neonatal diseases and disabilities have been implemented and gradually expanded. Health care services for the elderly have been gradually strengthened and developed. Vietnam has successfully controlled the rapid population growth rate, with the annual population growth rate decreasing 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 the total fertility rate (TFR) has been maintained at 2.0-2.1 children/woman throughout the past period. The population structure has shifted positively towards a sharp increase in the working-age population, from 56.1% in 1989 to 67.5% in 2023. Vietnam entered the "golden population" period since 2007 with a young, abundant workforce and needs to continue to invest in social security, health care, education, employment, and improving labor productivity, towards sustainable development.

Overview of the rally.

Population distribution has become more reasonable, linked to urbanization and socio-economic development requirements, ensuring national defense and security. The urban population ratio has increased from 20% in 1993 to 38.1% in 2023. The achievements of population work have had a great and positive impact on economic growth, improving gender equality, social progress and protecting resources and the environment; improving the quality of life and happiness of each person and each family, contributing to the sustainable development of the country; contributing to the successful implementation of the previous Millennium Development Goals and moving towards the successful implementation of the Vietnam Sustainable Development Goals (VSDGs).

Challenges to Vietnam's population issue Despite many positive results, Vietnam's population work is also facing many challenges: The replacement fertility rate nationwide is not really sustainable, there is a trend of low fertility rate; increasing gender imbalance at birth; rapid population aging, population distribution, and migration management have not received due attention. Population factors have not been systematically integrated into the planning and implementation of policies and socio-economic development plans... requiring innovations to solve population issues more comprehensively, synchronously and fundamentally.

We must take decisive and immediate action to ensure that every woman has access to the care she needs during pregnancy and childbirth. Investing in sexual and reproductive health is investing in ending poverty and ending inequality. Ms. Pauline Fatima Tamesis, UN Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam

With the principle of taking people as the center and the goal of sustainable development of the country, the 6th Conference of the 12th Party Central Committee issued Resolution No. 21-NQ/TW on October 25, 2017 on population work in the new situation. The Government issued the Action Plan, Vietnam Population Strategy to 2030 and many specific programs, projects and intervention plans to implement the goals of Resolution No. 21-NQ/TW. Speaking at the ceremony, Ms. Dao Hong Lan, member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Health, Deputy Head of the Standing Committee of the National Steering Committee for Population and Development emphasized: To complete the goals of Resolution No. 21-NQ/TW of the Party, the Vietnam Population Strategy to 2030 as well as Vietnam's Sustainable Development Goals, the Action Program of the International Conference on Population and Development, in response to World Population Day July 11, 2024, the Ministry of Health has chosen the theme "Investing in population work is investing in sustainable development" to call on all levels, sectors, international organizations, and development partners to continue to pay attention and invest in Vietnam's population work, contributing to the country's rapid and sustainable development. According to the Minister, the Ministry of Health will continue to research and evaluate the current status of population work and factors affecting population on the country's sustainable development, to advise competent authorities on the orientation of socio-economic development in the coming time, especially policies related to population aging, reducing birth rates, etc. At the same time, focus on developing the Population Law project with the goal of shifting the policy focus from family planning to population and development, expected to be submitted to the Government in December 2024 and to the National Assembly in October 2025. At the meeting, the National Steering Committee on Population and Development, the Ministry of Health requested ministries, branches, members of the National Steering Committee, People's Committees of provinces and cities to pay attention to leading and directing population work; directing the integration of population factors into policies, strategies, and socio-economic development projects of localities and sectors... The Department of Health and the Population Office of provinces and cities need to focus on promoting and improving the effectiveness of communication and education activities on population and development. "Vietnam hopes to continue to receive close cooperation from international organizations, diplomatic missions of countries and the international community in the coming time to share and support in effectively addressing the trend of low birth rate and rapid population aging; at the same time, support the development and completion of the Population Law", Minister Dao Hong Lan expressed.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/chat-luong-cuoc-song-cua-nguoi-dan-duoc-cai-thien-post818461.html