Maximizing the effectiveness of population policies.

(Baonghean) - In recent years, alongside general policies, Nghe An has been one of the leading provinces in developing and implementing population and family planning policies. This has significantly contributed to reducing the birth rate and gradually improving the quality of the population.

For many years, Hanh Lam commune (Thanh Chuong district) was one of the localities facing many difficulties in population management due to its large population and uneven levels of education, especially in remote and border villages. Over the past three years, the commune's population management has seen positive changes: the rate of third births has decreased from 12.1% to nearly 9%; the number of families registering not to have a third child or more annually has reached a high rate of over 96%; the number of couples of reproductive age using contraception annually has reached over 80%, with over 85% of couples using modern contraceptive methods. In particular, while in the past, almost every year there were people in the hamlets having a third child, now on average, 3-5 hamlets receive commendations each year, including hamlets 5A, 5B, and Chuyen hamlet, which have had no third births for many consecutive years. The natural population growth rate has remained below 1% for many consecutive years.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thao, the commune's population officer, stated: After Resolution No. 52/2012/NQ-HĐND on some population and family planning policies was issued, the commune's population work has seen positive changes. This has led to a shift in awareness among cadres, Party members, workers, civil servants, and all segments of the population... To effectively implement Resolution No. 52, Hanh Lam commune has taken many measures: Annually, through review and summary meetings on Party building work, the Party Committee assesses the strengths, achievements, and shortcomings in the implementation of population and family planning policies. At the same time, it clarifies the responsibilities of organizations and individuals in carrying out the tasks. Based on these shortcomings and weaknesses, the Party Committee proposes measures and solutions for better implementation. Thanks to effective cadre evaluation, cadres' awareness of family planning implementation has increased, and the commune has not had any cadres violating the policy by having a third child or more, setting an example for the entire commune. In addition, besides the reward policies of the province and district, the commune People's Committee annually allocates a reward fund of 100,000 VND per hamlet for hamlets without anyone having a third child or more, and 50,000 VND per individual collaborator who has excellently completed their tasks.

Communicating information about reproductive health care to students in Thanh Chuong district.

Mr. Tran Viet Thanh, Deputy Director of the Population and Family Planning Center of Thanh Chuong district, said: On average, Thanh Chuong district has more than 3,000 births each year. Thanks to investment in infrastructure and access to maternal and child reproductive health care programs, especially the "Prenatal and Neonatal Screening" program, many children receive health check-ups after birth. Thanh Chuong is also a district that has implemented population policies quite aggressively. In 2014 alone, 174 villages and hamlets with no third births were commended with a total reward of nearly 140,000,000 VND. In addition, 22 couples of officials and Party members were disciplined for violating population policies.

Nghe An is one of the provinces that has done well in population policy work and is a leading province nationwide in developing documents related to population policy. Most notably, Resolution No. 52/2012/NQ-HĐND dated July 13, 2012, of the Nghe An Provincial People's Council stipulates a number of population and family planning policies in the province. Based on the provincial resolution, 100% of districts, cities, and towns have issued resolutions of the District People's Councils and decisions of the District People's Committees to concretize the regulations on population and family planning policies in their areas, with many incentive and motivational policies to effectively implement population and family planning work.

Mr. Nguyen Trung Thanh, Deputy Head of the Provincial Population and Family Planning Department, assessed: The most noticeable effect is that through this, Party and government leaders at all levels have clearly recognized the consequences of population growth, which is one of the causes hindering socio-economic development, creating significant difficulties in improving living standards, reducing opportunities for recreation and entertainment, and limiting the physical and intellectual development of the people... From there, leadership, guidance, inspection, and supervision have been strengthened, and many important policies and guidelines for population and family planning have been issued. Thanks to this, the province's population work in recent years has seen positive changes, such as the birth rate decreasing from 18.6% (2009) to 17.65% (2014), the rate of third births decreasing from 21.09% (2019) to 17.21% (2014)... Through this, the quality of the population has been gradually improved, the rate of women suffering from gynecological diseases has decreased, and abortions have decreased;...

On July 10, 2015, the Provincial People's Council issued Resolution No. 170/2015/NQ-HĐND on regulations regarding population and family planning policies. Accordingly, the new resolution retains the effective policies of Resolution No. 52 and adds some new policies to suit the requirements of the new situation. These include increasing the reward for communes, wards, and towns that have no third or subsequent births for one year from 5 million VND to 20 million VND. Communes, wards, and towns that have had no third or subsequent births for five consecutive years or more will receive a reward of 100 million VND from the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and will be recommended for a Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister. The incentive and reward policies for individuals have also been changed: Individuals of reproductive age who have one or two children or more and voluntarily use sterilization as a contraceptive method, in addition to the benefits and policies stipulated by the Central Government, will receive a bonus of 5 million VND (for men) and 3 million VND (for women) for each sterilization procedure (previously 2 million VND). Those who effectively implement family planning and successfully persuade 10 couples (within a block, hamlet, village, or commune) to use contraceptive methods (sterilization; IUD insertion) within a year will receive a bonus of 1,000,000 VND, and for every additional 5 couples exceeding 10, they will receive an additional bonus of 500,000 VND.

The handling of violations will still be carried out according to the law, the commitment to implement the population and family planning policy (the specific form is determined by the Provincial People's Committee), and the local customs and regulations of grassroots organizations; the title of "Culturally Advanced Family" will not be considered. Collectives and individuals, including heads of agencies and units whose members under their direct management violate the population and family planning policy, will have their performance ratings downgraded and will not be considered for the title of "Culturally Advanced Unit" in the year of the violation.

According to the plan, the new policy will take effect from January 1, 2016. After the document was disseminated to the grassroots level, localities responded and actively participated. For example, in Ngoc Lam commune, Thanh Chuong district, the commune government and mass organizations signed a commitment to strive to become a commune with no third births within two years (2016, 2017); Tuong Duong district, Thai Hoa town, Quynh Luu, Quy Hop… coordinated with the Mass Mobilization Department and mass organizations to effectively implement the new resolution.

Text and photos:My Ha