Improving population quality - The foundation for sustainable development

Identifying population quality improvement as a strategic task, both urgent and long-term, creating a foundation for sustainable development, Vinh Phuc has issued many resolutions, projects, plans, paid attention to resource allocation, mobilized the participation of all levels, sectors, localities and the active response and participation of people in implementing population policy.

Doctors at the Provincial Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital take blood from a baby's heel to perform a newborn screening test. Photo: Tra Huong

The results of implementing the targets to improve the province's population quality in recent years have achieved many advances: The Human Development Index (HDI) has been ranked in the top 10 provinces and cities in the country for many consecutive years; targets on maternal and child health care are high, exceeding the set program and plan targets; population quality has improved, the average life expectancy of Vinh Phuc people is currently nearly 75 years old, higher than the national average.

The annual malnutrition rate of children under 5 years old is improved; the rate of pregnant women receiving prenatal screening is among the highest in the country; the rate of children receiving newborn screening is 92.06% in 2024 and 90% in the first 5 months of 2025; the rate of young men and women receiving counseling and health check-ups before marriage is nearly 90%; the number of elderly people receiving annual periodic health check-ups is more than 175,000 people, reaching 86.71% of the total number of elderly people in the province...

With the goal of continuously improving population quality, based on the Central's directions and orientations and the local practical situation, Vinh Phuc has seriously implemented the State's policies and laws on population, issued many programs, plans and projects on population work.

Typical examples include: Plan to implement Vietnam's population strategy in Vinh Phuc province for the period 2021-2025; Plan to implement the program to consolidate, develop and improve the quality of family planning services by 2030; Plan to "Implement the National Program on the Elderly in Vinh Phuc for the period 2022-2030"; Program to expand screening, diagnosis and treatment of some prenatal and neonatal diseases and disabilities in Vinh Phuc province by 2030...

Doctors from the Provincial Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital advise on how to take care of the health of newborns and postpartum mothers. Photo: Tra Huong

The annual population work plan targets are included in the socio- economic development plans at all levels. Notably, Vinh Phuc is one of the few localities in the country that has issued a Resolution on population work - Resolution No. 16 "Regulating a number of policies to support population work and development in Vinh Phuc province, period 2021-2025".

After more than 4 years of implementation, Resolution No. 16 has motivated population collaborators to better perform the task of propagating and mobilizing people to implement the Party's guidelines, policies and laws of the State in the field of population, completing the targets of the population work plan - family planning. At the same time, creating conditions for pregnant women and families with newborns, who are special subjects, to have access to medical services, screening for congenital malformations, timely detection and early intervention of diseases in fetuses and newborns.

The network of reproductive health service providers from the province to the grassroots level has been gradually consolidated and developed. Currently, 100% of commune, ward and town health stations in the province have midwives or obstetricians, ensuring the provision of reproductive health care services, care for mothers before, during and after birth; 100% of provincial hospitals (except specialized hospitals), district and city health centers have provided prenatal and newborn screening services in the form of socialization for those in need.

Many models and programs to improve population quality have been effectively deployed and coordinated by the health sector, such as: Expanding screening, diagnosis, and treatment of some prenatal and neonatal diseases and disabilities; premarital health counseling, controlling gender imbalance at birth; community-based counseling and health care for the elderly, etc.

Communication work has been deployed in a diverse and effective manner, mobilizing the participation of Party committees and authorities at all levels, the active coordination of departments, branches, unions, socio-political organizations and the response of people in participating in the implementation of population policies.

Besides the achieved results, the province's population work still has some limitations: The population staff at the grassroots level is still limited in capacity and professional qualifications; the results of population work implementation are not uniform among localities; gender imbalance at birth remains high...

To successfully implement population targets and gradually improve population quality to meet the province's development requirements in the new situation, Vinh Phuc continues to promote propaganda and thoroughly implement the policies of the Central and the province on improving population quality; pay attention to training and improving the quality of population staff; diversify forms of communication to ensure suitability for each target group and region; expand the network and popularize the program to provide services for screening, diagnosis, intervention, and early treatment of prenatal and neonatal diseases for pregnant women and newborns; improve the quality of health care for the elderly...

Le Mo

Source: http://baovinhphuc.com.vn/Multimedia/Images/Id/129820/Nang-cao-chat-luong-dan-so---Nen-tang-cho-su-phat-trien-ben-vung