When the "population medicine cabinet" is empty

- Since the beginning of 2025, population and family planning (FP) work in many communes and wards in the province has encountered many obstacles when the funding for free contraceptives has not been allocated, and the reserve resources at the facilities have gradually run out. In the border commune of Ba Son, the situation of "population medicine cabinets" running out has made it more difficult to meet people's FP needs.

Population specialists of Ba Son commune propagate to people about reproductive health care and family planning measures.

Ms. Nong Thi T., Na Tham village, Ba Son commune, had to replace her IUD nearly a month ago but has not been given a new one yet. Ms. T. shared: The old IUD was due for replacement, but when I asked the health station, they said they did not have one yet. I had to wait, not knowing when. The staff also directed me to a private clinic to get one, but the distance was far and it was expensive, so I still have not been able to do it.

If Ms. T. cannot replace the IUD, she will face the risk of unwanted pregnancy and health problems. With limited economic conditions, paying for private clinics is a big burden for her family. Ms. T.'s story is just one of many cases in the border area that have difficulty implementing family planning when the free distribution system is interrupted.

Ba Son is a border commune with more than 2,100 households, including more than 1,500 women of childbearing age, who are eligible for free contraceptives. Despite the difficult traffic, with the perseverance of the population staff, the awareness of the local people about population work and family planning has gradually improved. In recent years, women of childbearing age have consciously chosen and used modern contraceptive methods to implement family planning. Every year, the Commune Health Station receives contraceptives to distribute to the people. However, since the beginning of 2025, the commune has not received any batch. The old reserve is also gradually depleted, and by the beginning of September 2025, it was completely exhausted.

Opening the family planning medicine cabinet, inside there were only a few propaganda leaflets, all types of contraceptives (condoms, birth control pills, IUDs) were gone, Ms. Do Thi Kim Oanh, a population specialist in Ba Son commune said: Because it is a commune in the third region, border, all women of childbearing age are eligible for free contraceptives. Previously, when there was funding, the commune mobilized and distributed them regularly, giving priority to people in remote villages. But now, when people come to ask, there are no means of distribution, we have to explain and guide them to buy outside, but poor and near-poor households are still waiting to be distributed to continue using.

With these difficulties, from the beginning of 2025 until now, the whole commune has 265 new people using modern contraceptive methods, a decrease of nearly 20% compared to the same period in 2024. The rate of women of childbearing age using modern contraceptive methods reached 64%, lower than the average level of communes under Cao Loc Regional Medical Center (67%). Ms. Hoang Thi Nga, Deputy Head of the Population Department of Cao Loc Medical Center, said: From the beginning of 2025 until now, we have not received free contraceptives like previous years to distribute to communes. Project 818 on socialization of the supply of family planning goods and services has been suspended since May 2025, making population work even more difficult, especially in communes in the third and border regions.

Lack of funding and contraceptives has caused many obstacles to population work in border areas like Ba Son. However, this is also the time for relevant levels and sectors to review and balance resources, ensuring timely allocation to difficult areas. When policies are supported by concrete actions, the "population medicine cabinet" in border areas will be supplemented, helping people feel secure in implementing family planning, stabilizing their lives, contributing to maintaining the population achievements of the whole province.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/khi-tu-thuoc-dan-so-can-5061978.html