Nghe An province is proactively innovating to adapt to population work in the new situation.

Nghe An Newspaper had an interview with Dr. Hoang Dinh Tung, Head of the Provincial Population Department, regarding population work in the new situation.

PV:Sir, in 2024, many activities of the Population sector were disrupted for various reasons. In this context, what solutions has the sector implemented to effectively carry out the set goals and plans?

Specialist Doctor Level 1 Hoang Dinh Tung:In 2024, despite disruptions due to various reasons such as changes in unit leadership, naming conventions, procedures, and organizational processes for implementing activities under the new Bidding Law, the Population sector effectively implemented its set goals and plans with many synchronized solutions. Specifically, from the beginning of the year,Population Sub-DepartmentThe department proactively advised the Department of Health and the Department of Planning and Investment to submit to the Provincial People's Committee a decision assigning plan targets for 2024; and advised the Department of Health to issue guidelines on the implementation of the 2024 plan. At the same time, it guided the health centers of districts, cities, and towns in organizing the implementation of the plan and assigning plan targets to communes, wards, and townships.

At the Sub-department, departments are required to develop detailed budgets for their activities; supplement and amend the agency's regulations; and uphold the spirit and responsibility of each individual and each specialized department in performing their duties.

Thanks to the efforts, determination, unity, and consensus of the entire population staff, the population sector has basically completed the set goals and tasks and achieved many important results.

Notably, they advised the Department of Health to coordinate with the People's Committees of districts, cities, and towns to organize activities in response to major holidays throughout the year.

In coordination with provincial departments, agencies, and organizations, numerous competitions were organized for elderly people, women, and students, such as: "Elderly people living happily and healthily," "Women and population and development work," and "Golden Bell quiz on population/reproductive health knowledge for adolescents/youth." Hundreds of communication and community counseling sessions were organized on topics such as: Elderly health care; Reproductive health care/family planning for women; Gender imbalance at birth; Reducing birth rates, reducing the number of third and subsequent children; Prenatal and newborn screening and improving population quality;…

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We also organized training courses to enhance communication skills for population officials at the district and commune levels, and health and population collaborators at the hamlet, village, and commune levels.

Activities related to collecting, updating, processing, and managing population data systems are emphasized, ensuring timeliness and accuracy.

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

PV:One of the key issues in 2024 is the Ministry of Health's mandate to lead the development of the Population Law Project. Given the current context of Nghe An province, what is the significance of enacting the Population Law, sir?

Specialist Doctor Level 1 Hoang Dinh Tung:To date, Nghe An remains a province with a large population (ranking 4th nationwide) and a high birth rate (among the top 10 provinces with the highest birth rates nationwide). The rate of having a third child or more is still high, the gender imbalance at birth is alarming, population aging is rapid, and the quality of the population does not yet match the province's potential.

In addition, issues related to reproductive health care before marriage, for adolescents and young adults; healthcare for the elderly, mothers and children still face many difficulties; and the rate of malnourished, stunted, and congenitally disabled children remains high… These are the difficulties and challenges that need to be addressed in Nghe An's current population work.

The adoption of the Population Law, replacing the Population Ordinance, will create a unified and consistent legal basis, contributing to the institutionalization of the Party's guidelines, policies, and strategies on population work in the new situation.

The fundamental policies in the Draft Law on Population are also the central issues of population work in the new situation, such as the policy of "Maintaining the replacement fertility rate" and the policy of "Minimizing gender imbalance at birth and bringing the sex ratio at birth back to a natural balance".

However, for provinces facing numerous difficulties and challenges, particularly those related to birth rate and population size, and high rates of third or subsequent births, the enactment of the Population Law requires even greater efforts and dedication in the propaganda and mobilization work of those working in population affairs.

For example, in the draft Population Law currently under development, the Ministry of Health has proposed regulations granting couples and individuals the right to decide on childbirth, timing of childbirth, number of children, and spacing between births, in order to maintain a stable replacement fertility rate nationwide. Meanwhile, Nghe An province is still simultaneously pursuing two tasks: reducing birth rates to the replacement level and improving the quality of its population.

PV:In 2025, what solutions will the Population sector focus on to achieve its set goals?

Specialist Doctor Level 1 Hoang Dinh Tung:To achieve the set goals, in 2025, the sector will continue to focus on achieving and exceeding assigned targets, especially the target for reducing birth rates, in order to proactively adjust the population growth rate, reduce the gender imbalance at birth, gradually improve the quality of the population and healthcare for the elderly; make the most of the demographic dividend period to serve the socio-economic development of the province, while adapting to the trend of population aging in the coming years.

To effectively accomplish this task, it is necessary to continue implementing the projects and programs of the Population and Development Target Program and other projects and models approved by the Provincial People's Committee. During implementation, priority should be given to investing in population work in special areas with high birth rates, coastal areas, and areas with a large Catholic population.

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We also hope that localities and relevant departments will strengthen the Party's leadership and invest government resources in population work, making population work a central focus in the leadership and guidance of Party committees and governments at all levels.

At the same time, we must correctly implement the policy of continuing to shift the focus from Population and Family Planning to Population and Development in order to comprehensively address issues related to population size, structure, distribution, and improving population quality.

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

PV:Thank you, sir!