Offices of the United Nations (UN) are always willing to assist
Vietnam to build a positive policy environment, promoting the approach
of crucial services on sexual and reproductive health in all cities and
provinces nationwide.
The commitment was made by
Mandeep K.O’Brien, Acting Chief Representative of the UN Population Fund
(UNFDA) at a press conference held in Hanoi on July 10 marking World
Population Day (July 11).
The official acknowledged
the achievements Vietnam recorded in the process of implementing the
Millennium Development Goals (MDG) related to healthcare, including
reproductive healthcare services.
Addressing the
event, Nguyen Viet Tien, Deputy Minister of Health, affirmed that the
Party and State have issued many guidelines and policies to speed up the
work on population and reproductive health. After 10 years of
implementing the Vietnam Population Strategy and National Strategy on
Reproductive Health for 2001-2010, significant achievements have been
made, measurably contributing to socio-economic development.
The country has made important steps in providing family planning
services, safe motherhood and healthcare for newborns. The rate of
maternity death has been reduced three times from 233 per 100,000 live
births in 1990 to 69 per 100,000 live births in 2009.
According to Duong Quoc Trong, General Director of the General Office
for Population and Family Planning, Vietnam used to be known as
one of the countries having one of the highest abortion rates. However,
in recent years, thanks to family planning and contraceptive methods,
the rate has been brought down considerably. The abortion rate in women
in age group 15-49 in 2000 was 1.3 percent, down to 0.6 percent in 2010.
However, it is still difficult for some population
groups like juveniles, unmarried women, migrants, ethnic minorities and
the elderly to access information and services on sexual and
reproductive health. Unwanted pregnancies and abortion rates are still
very high amongst young and unmarried individuals.
In Vietnam’s Population and Reproductive Health Strategy for
2011-2020 term approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in November
2011, safe motherhood continues to be a priority, with the aim to reduce
maternity and newborn deaths, especially in ethnic minority and remote
areas.
With the theme “Universal Access to
Reproductive Health Services”, this year’s World Population Day aims to
strengthen commitments towards reproductive health for women. The day
also acknowledges contributions of organisations and individuals in
providing information and services for women to satisfy the MDG of
achieving universal access to reproductive health by 2015.-VNA