Challenges facing population work

After the merger, An Giang province's population is just over 4.95 million people. As the most populous province in the Mekong Delta region, An Giang is facing many challenges related to population management in the current period.

Disseminating population policy information in Dinh My commune. Photo: Hanh Chau

Current population situation of the province

According to the Director of the Department of Health, Tran Quang Hien, there are four major issues regarding the province's population situation, which also pose challenges requiring special attention from relevant agencies at all levels, from the province to the grassroots. First is the low birth rate below replacement level. According to the Statistics Department, the province's total fertility rate after merger is 1.74 children per woman, placing it among the 13 provinces with birth rates below replacement level. Next is the gender imbalance at birth. In 2024, the province's sex ratio at birth was 108.13 boys per 100 girls, which, while lower than the national average, has not yet reached the natural balance (103-107 boys per 100 girls). Controlling the gender imbalance at birth in the province faces several difficulties and obstacles, such as unresolved gender stereotypes, the continued desire for male children to carry on the family lineage in some families; and the misuse of scientific and technological advancements in early fetal sex determination. Law enforcement and penalties for sex selection of unborn children are not strong enough and lack sufficient deterrent effect.

“In particular, despite its large population, the province faces the challenge of an aging population. Currently, the province has over 515,000 elderly people (60 years and older), accounting for more than 10% of the population. If we do not implement major policies and timely adaptation solutions now, the population will age very rapidly. This will lead to challenges for socio-economic development, especially the risk of labor shortages, healthcare for the elderly, the health system, social security, and economic stagnation,” Mr. Tran Quang Hien analyzed.

Furthermore, the quality of the population is still limited and needs improvement. Average life expectancy has increased, but the number of years lived in good health remains low. The elderly face a double burden of disease and often suffer from chronic illnesses (on average, each elderly person has 3 diseases). The rate of congenital birth defects in fetuses is still quite high; the stature and physical fitness of Vietnamese people are improving slowly. Mr. Hien said: “The limited quality of the population has a negative impact on socio-economic development. Most worrying is the decline in labor productivity, leading to increased healthcare and social welfare costs. At the same time, with a low birth rate below replacement level, if there are no comprehensive and effective solutions, the province's birth rate will continue to decline. When the birth rate falls below 1.5 children per woman, it will be very difficult to increase the birth rate to reach replacement level in the future. This leads to many consequences, affecting the human resources needed for the province's socio-economic development.”

A comprehensive set of solutions is needed.

In the coming period, the province will effectively implement population work, paying attention to population size, population structure, population quality, and linking population with development. It will continue to promote propaganda and mobilization, raising awareness and changing behavior among officials, Party members, and the people regarding population work. It will review and propose amendments and additions to regulations and policies on population work to achieve replacement fertility levels. It will control the gender imbalance at birth to bring it back to a natural balance. At the same time, it will increase the number of children to maintain the demographic dividend, extending the demographic dividend window for at least another 30 years to support national development. Along with improving the quality of healthcare services for the elderly to increase average life expectancy, increase the number of years lived healthily, ensure adaptation to population aging, and improve the quality of the province's population.

The province is promoting the socialization of population services; improving the capacity of population officials, especially at the grassroots level; and applying digital transformation, information technology, and artificial intelligence in the management and implementation of population policies. “To ensure that the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws on population reach the people, the health sector recommends that the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee continue to direct departments, agencies, mass organizations, and local governments to pay more attention to population work. Continue to promote population work with communication messages such as increasing the birth rate; working with the health sector to improve the quality and size of the population; and bringing An Giang province's demographic dividend period after the merger to the largest scale in the country, with the greatest potential and strengths, to become a major and important driving force for local socio-economic development in the coming time, contributing to the successful implementation of the Resolution of the 14th National Congress of the Party…,” Mr. Tran Quang Hien stated.

HANH CHAU

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/nhung-van-de-dat-ra-doi-voi-cong-tac-dan-so-a426220.html