Nghe An: Many solutions to reduce third child births

Many officials and party members violate population policy.

Hong Son Ward is located in the central area of ​​Vinh city, where the population is densely populated and the number of households operating in the freelance and trading sectors is quite large. However, in 2020, this is one of the three communes and wards in the province that was proposed to be commended as a unit that well implemented the population policy - family planning, reducing the rate of third children by 50% or more. Specifically, in 2020, the ward had 89 children born but only 3 cases were third children or more, accounting for 3.4%, this rate decreased by 7.6% compared to 2019.

Maternity counseling in Vinh city. Photo: MH.

This is not a "temporary" number but has been maintained for many years now when every year, although the number of children born in the area is quite large, the rategive birth to a third childThe local rate is also just under 10% (much lower than the provincial average). To achieve this positive change, in recent years, Hong Son ward has had practical solutions, especially receiving attention from the Party Committee and authorities at all levels.

In particular, every year, the ward develops a plan with the theme of reducing the number of third children and requires the active participation of Party cells and executive committees of blocks and hamlets. In addition, diversifying forms of propaganda and mobilization, and especially to encourage families who implement population policies well, the ward often integrates or commends and meets with families who have only one child and raise their children well.

Sharing about the results achieved, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen - a population officer of Hong Son ward said: "Due to the characteristics of the people in the area being mainly civil servants or business households, it is very difficult to mobilize people to participate in large-scale propaganda campaigns. Therefore, when organizing propaganda, we often organize propaganda in small groups or at families. Fortunately, although the propaganda sessions are held outside of office hours, the population workers in the area are not alone but receive active support from departments, branches and the executive committees of the hamlets, so they achieve positive results."

Consulting people on contraceptive measures in Vinh city. Photo: MH

For many years now, in order to encourage localities to implement population policies well, Nghe An has been rewarding communes and wards that have no births of the third child or more, or communes and wards that have reduced the birth rate of the third child or more by 50%. The implementation of this policy is considered a very practical solution and is expected to promptly encourage people across the province to implement population policies well, reducing the birth rate of the third child or more.

However, in reality, the number of units that have achieved this is only on the fingers. In 2020 alone, there was no commune in the province that did not have a third child, and the number of communes and wards proposed for appraisal and reward was only 3 units: Hong Son ward, Nghi Duc commune (Vinh city) and Chau Thang commune (Quy Chau).

Sharing about the difficulties in the implementation process, Ms. Phung Thi Thanh - Head of the Population Department - Vinh City Health Center said: "Although there are 2 localities selected for appraisal in Vinh city, the work of reducing the birth rate of the third child or more is still very difficult. For example, in 2020, the number of children born as the third child or more was 558, an increase of 24 children compared to the same period in 2019, reaching a rate of 14.32%, not reaching the previously set plan of 10.3%. Among them, there are cases of violations by cadres and party members".

Across the province, among more than 13,000 violationspopulation policyThe number of cadres and party members violating the policy of having a third child or more is more than 900 cases, concentrated in the localities of Quynh Luu, Dien Chau, Yen Thanh, Do Luong, Hoang Mai town... That also shows that when cadres and party members do not really set an example, propaganda and mobilization for the people is even more difficult. In fact, Nghe An is still a province with a large population (ranked fourth in the country), a high birth rate (2.75 children) and continues to increase, the province with the second highest birth rate in the country (after Ha Tinh).

In particular, the birth rate of the third child or more remains high and tends to continue to increase in most districts, cities and towns at a rate of 28.1%, an increase of 3.2% compared to 2019 and an increase of 3.5% compared to the 2020 plan.

Do a good job of reducing birth rate

With the above situations, it is clear that at present, population work in Nghe An is still very difficult when we have to carry out two tasks in parallel, which are both population and development, and population - family planning, reducing birth rate and bringing birth rate to replacement level.

This is also one of the important tasks in the general plan of the Government according to Decision 558/QD-TTg on approving: The program to adjust birth rate to suit subjects and regions by 2030". In which, the main goal is to maintain the replacement birth rate nationwide, strive to increase birth rate in low birth rate areas and reduce birth rate in high birth rate areas, contributing to the successful implementation of the population strategy, ensuring rapid and sustainable development of the country.

Cua Lo Town Medical Center examines and vaccinates children and pregnant women. Photo: MH

Regarding this content, on May 10, 2021, the Provincial People's Committee also issued Plan 269/KH - UBND, which includes a plan to reduce births and the rate of third and higher births to reach the replacement level by 2030. Specifically, continue to maintain the reduction in birth rates, strive to reduce the birth rate by 0.2 - 0.3%/year, reduce the rate of third and higher births by 0.3%/year in a sustainable manner to reach the replacement level. Nghe An also achieved the target by 2025, the total fertility rate will decrease to 2.41 children/woman of childbearing age and reach 2.1 children/woman of childbearing age by 2030.

To carry out the above task, one of the important solutions is to strengthen the leadership of Party committees and authorities at all levels to raise further awareness in shifting the focus of population work from Population - Family Planning to Population and Development, so that both the government and each citizen have a good understanding of the campaign "each couple should have 2 children".

In addition, Party committees and authorities at all levels also need to get involved and take the lead in mobilizing departments, branches and organizations to participate in population work, promulgate regulations on inter-sectoral coordination mechanisms in implementing plans to reduce births and the rate of third and higher births. At the same time, integrate population and development goals into the content of local socio-economic development plans, programs and projects.

Providing home consultation to people in Quynh Luu district on contraceptive measures. Photo: MH

The province will also continue to review, improve and supplement population policy mechanisms and propose to issue regulations, amend, supplement or abolish contents that are no longer suitable for work in the new situation; specify appropriate support and incentive policies, especially supporting people in implementing family planning services, have policies to support and encourage people to have fewer children; expand access to reproductive health/family planning services and related services, and develop a family planning service network.

Quote: In the current context, the issuance of a plan with specific goals and implementation tasks will contribute significantly to helping the province's population work have positive changes. However, in order for the plan to be implemented and concretized soon, in addition to the efforts of the Population sector, it is necessary to have the active participation of departments, branches, local authorities and the support of the majority of people.

BSCKII Nguyen Ba Tan - Head of the Department of Population and Family Planning