Innovation and creativity in population communication in the 4.0 era in Nghe An.

"Revitalizing" population communication efforts.

At 51 years old, Ms. Vo Thi Yen – a population officer in Nghi Thu ward (Cua Lo town) – still readily learns from her colleagues about using PowerPoint to convey information. Besides self-learning, with many years of experience working in the ward's broadcasting system, Ms. Yen can now independently write and read numerous news bulletins through the broadcasting system or the health station's media page.

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Each year, the ward's budget for population work is only about 5 million VND. Therefore, organizing large-scale awareness campaigns would be very costly. People's access to information is different now than it used to be. Therefore, when writing or drafting a document, it's necessary to choose an appropriate topic, write concisely and clearly, and focus on the causes and consequences to capture people's attention...

Ms. Vo Thi Yen – population officer of Nghi Thu ward (Cua Lo town)

Thanks to effective public awareness campaigns, the rate of third or subsequent births in Nghi Thu ward has remained at only 4-7% for many years. The annual birth rate is also very low compared to the general average, making it a bright spot in the population management efforts of the coastal town.

To date, communication through channels such as Zalo, Facebook, and other audio-visual media accounts for over 80% of the propaganda methods of the Cua Lo Population Department.

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We have specific themes and topics for each month and assign propaganda tasks to each unit. Online propaganda is becoming increasingly popular due to its many advantages, such as reaching a large audience and requiring less time and investment.

Ms. Dinh Hoang Nga – Head of Population Communication Department - Cua Lo Town Health Center

Instead of holding events in large halls, the dissemination and promotion of population policies and guidelines are now carried out more flexibly, through loudspeaker systems, on Facebook pages, and in private women's groups. This change in communication methods is yielding many positive results and is well-suited to the digital age.

At the Provincial Population and Family Planning Department, with the aim of disseminating activities, content, and policies on population, the Facebook page "Dan so Nghe An" has connected with thousands of people in recent years for followers and shares. Interactions on the page also help strengthen the bond among the population workers in the province.

Innovation, diversity, and creativity

In implementing Resolution No. 21-NQ/TW on "population work in the new situation," in 2020, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued the Project "Innovating and improving the quality of communication on population in Nghe An province in the period 2020 - 2025."

In recent times, to enhance the effectiveness of communication work, the Provincial Population and Family Planning Department has implemented many activities. Notably, it has utilized modern communication methods such as online counseling, websites, social media, mobile phones, and other media. This has raised awareness, changed behavior, and emphasized the responsibility of the entire political system and each individual citizen regarding population work in the new context, with a particular focus on people in rural, coastal, mountainous, and especially disadvantaged areas.

Every year, the Nghe An Population Department signs cooperation programs to promote the dissemination and implementation of population and family planning policies with nearly 20 provincial-level departments and organizations, with diverse content, forms, and methods suitable for various target groups.

In particular, in coordination with the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department and the Provincial Labor Union, they organized propaganda and training on population development policies and reproductive health care for workers and laborers... Through an agreement with the Provincial Women's Union, the two units organized many communication activities on gender issues, strengthened health education, built prosperous, equal, progressive, and happy families, and established models of clubs for mothers and girls.

Direct propaganda and mobilization through various forms of conferences, small group communication, integrated activities of organizations and associations, and direct counseling to target groups through collaborators and population officers at the commune, ward, and town levels continue to be promoted.

However, instead of relying solely on oral communication, thanks to regular training, population officials and collaborators have now adopted innovative approaches such as producing short clips and using online communication. Throughout the province, 100% of population and health officials in 460 communes, wards, and towns; and 100% of health centers in districts, cities, and towns across the province have Facebook accounts for disseminating information about population and health.

The flexibility, creativity, and rapid adaptation in the communication work of the Population sector have yielded positive results and made Nghe An one of the leading localities in the country in population-related communication.

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Thanks to effective communication efforts, the awareness and actions of the majority of the population regarding the Population and Development policy have undergone positive changes, and the acceptance of smaller family sizes is becoming increasingly widespread. The birth rate, the rate of third or subsequent births, and the rapid population growth rate have been largely controlled; health status and average life expectancy have improved, making a significant contribution to poverty reduction and improving the quality of life for the people of the province. This is also an important prerequisite for Nghe An to gradually improve the quality of its population in accordance with Resolution No. 21-NQ/TW on "population work in the new situation".

Mr. Hoang Dinh Tung - Head of the Provincial Population and Family Planning Department