Strengthening population communication efforts.

Recognizing the crucial role of communication in changing behavior and raising awareness about population issues, the Provincial Population and Family Planning Department has recently innovated its communication and advocacy content, effectively coordinating with various departments, agencies, and organizations to implement its programs. As a result, population work in the province has achieved positive results, gradually raising public awareness and contributing to sustainable socio -economic development.

Population officials and collaborators in Thuy Lieu commune, Cam Khe district, share and provide information on reproductive health/family planning services to couples in the locality.

"An extended arm" from the grassroots level.

Playing a crucial role in community-based population communication activities, population collaborators are the ones who directly disseminate information about population policies and reproductive health communication activities to the people. Having the advantage of living within the community, population collaborators understand the needs and characteristics of each target group, allowing them to choose the most appropriate methods for exchanging and conveying information on population, reproductive health, and family planning.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong Thu, a population collaborator in Zone 7, Trung Vuong Commune, Viet Tri City, said: “In addition to distributing documents and leaflets, and integrating propaganda into community meetings and group activities, I also educate households about caring for the health of the elderly; advise young couples on using modern contraceptive methods, prenatal and newborn health screenings; and educate and advise teenagers on pre-marital health checkups...”.

For over 20 years as a population collaborator in Xóm Trong hamlet, Thụy Liễu commune, Cẩm Khê district, Ms. Nguyễn Thị Thu has become accustomed to "going from street to street, knocking on every door, and reaching out to every individual" to promote and encourage women to adopt modern contraceptive methods.

Ms. Thu happily shared: "The Xom Trong area currently has 166 households with 629 residents, including 145 women of childbearing age. To do a good job in population management, I understand the circumstances of each family, applying the principle of 'slow and steady wins the race,' taking advantage of opportunities like going to the market or attending women's association meetings to communicate some information about population issues, as well as modern and safe contraceptive methods to ensure personal health and maintain family happiness; I also communicate about gender equality, the benefits of prenatal and newborn screening, and community-based elderly care..."

Communicating about population issues requires sincerity, empathy, and skill so that not only women but also men understand and share responsibility in implementing population policies.

According to Mr. Nguyen Viet Phuong, Head of the Provincial Population and Family Planning Department, the province currently has 3,114 population collaborators, including 1,878 who also serve as village health workers. Districts with a large number of population collaborators include Ha Hoa (354), Cam Khe (342), Thanh Son (296), and Viet Tri (275). They are considered the "extended arm" of the Population sector, serving as a key link for relevant agencies to regularly update information on population issues at the grassroots level and promptly convey the Party and State's policies and guidelines on population work. They overcome difficulties and hardships to reach individual families, disseminating information and changing people's awareness and behavior regarding population, reproductive health, and family planning.

Population officials in Thuy Van commune, Viet Tri city, distribute leaflets to young people seeking pre-marital health check-ups and counseling.

Strengthen communication efforts.

Yen Tap commune, Cam Khe district, is a predominantly Catholic commune with a population of 4,872 people, including 741 women of childbearing age. The rate of couples using contraception is over 71%. Currently, Yen Tap commune has 10 population collaborators in 7 residential areas, including 2 members of the Parish Council, ensuring that population work in the commune is implemented effectively and comprehensively.

Ms. Phan Thi Anh, a population officer in Yen Tap commune, said: "During each population communication campaign, integrating reproductive health/family planning services, the team of collaborators in residential areas always closely monitor the area, regardless of the weather, going to each house to disseminate information and encourage those eligible for the services to go to medical facilities for consultation, examination, and care for reproductive health, marriage and family health, and elderly health..."

From the beginning of 2024 until now, the Population and Health Education Communication Department of the Viet Tri City Health Center has organized and implemented population and health education communication programs, adolescent health counseling, pre-marital health care, integrated communication campaigns with service provision, health communication, and elderly health care.

Specifically, the Spring Population Campaign included an integrated communication campaign providing reproductive health/family planning services in 9 out of 22 wards and communes, with 400 people receiving examinations; a launching ceremony for the integrated communication campaign providing reproductive health/family planning services was held in Trung Vuong commune with over 100 attendees; pre-marital health check-ups, counseling, and health consultations were organized in 5 wards and communes: Kim Duc, Thuy Van, Van Co, Gia Cam, and Duu Lau, with nearly 200 people receiving counseling and health check-ups; and 14 communication conferences on adolescent and youth reproductive health care were held in schools...

In addition, the Health Center collaborated with the City Labor Union to educate 500 workers at Vinh Phu Shoe Company and Hung Vuong Garment Company on reproductive health/family planning and population policies; and organized 16 health communication sessions with 550 listeners receiving information on non-communicable diseases in 22 wards and communes.

Ms. Ha Thi Quynh Lam, Head of the Population and Health Education Communication Department at the Viet Tri City Health Center, stated: To improve the quality of population communication, the Department continues to implement programs and projects aimed at improving population quality; paying attention to and training to enhance the capacity and quality of work of staff and collaborators working in population affairs, ensuring effective communication and diversifying communication methods such as direct, indirect, and social media communication... in order to bring reproductive health/family planning services directly to the people.

Thanks to intensified communication at the grassroots level, people's awareness and behavior have gradually changed, and the results of achieving population goals have improved significantly. Communication has reached every home, every village, and every hamlet following the principle of "slow and steady wins the race," contributing to changes in awareness, actions, and voluntary implementation. Proactive, flexible, and innovative communication in both content and methods, adapted to the requirements of the new situation, has been implemented synchronously and effectively.

The content and communication messages not only focus on family planning but also extend to other topics such as prenatal and newborn screening, pre-marital health counseling, etc., to improve the quality of the population. In addition to traditional communication methods, these are integrated with other socio-economic programs and content in the area.

Linh Nguyen

Source: https://baophutho.vn/day-manh-cong-tac-truyen-thong-dan-so-215663.htm