Focus on improving the health and stature of ethnic minorities

After nearly 4 years of implementing Project 7 under the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas (abbreviated as National Target Program 1719) in Quang Tri province, there have been initial positive changes in improving the physical condition and stature of ethnic minorities, contributing to improving the quality of the population and promoting socio-economic development in the locality.

Consulting on health care and child nutrition for women in Huc commune, Huong Hoa district - Photo: TTYTHH

Ethnic minority and mountainous people in Quang Tri are mainly concentrated in Huong Hoa and Dakrong districts, with a small number in Vinh Linh, Gio Linh and Cam Lo districts. The material and spiritual life of people in this area still faces many difficulties, so they have few conditions for health care (CSSK) for themselves and their families, especially for pregnant women, mothers, children and the elderly.

Implementing Decision No. 1719/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister on National Target Program 1719, every year, the Provincial People's Committee issues plans and allocates capital to relevant departments, branches and localities for implementation. On that basis, the Department of Health develops plans and assigns tasks to affiliated departments and units for implementation.

Up to now, the activities of Project 7 have been implemented quite synchronously in localities. In the districts included in the project, the People's Committees at all levels have promptly issued directive documents and plans to implement Project 7 in the localities so that relevant sectors and units have a basis for implementation.

Up to now, localities have implemented many activities of health care, maternal and child nutrition to reduce maternal and child mortality; improve the stature and physical strength of ethnic minorities such as: implementing a model of nutritional care in the first 1,000 days of life. Consulting and guiding on nutritional care in the first 1,000 days of life for pregnant mothers and mothers with children under 2 years old in the community.

Organize demonstration sessions on feeding children based on local products and foods. Purchase nutritional products for malnourished children aged 6-23 months in particularly disadvantaged communes. Support the implementation of maternal and child health care service packages such as: purchasing and providing test kits for 3 diseases CGB, HIV, syphilis for pregnant women in project communes; periodic health check-ups for children under 24 months old (1 time/child/year); support health workers and midwives in villages and hamlets to care for mothers and newborns at home; organize conferences to talk about maternal health care before, during and after giving birth.

In addition, organize campaigns, conferences to promote and communicate behavior change on health care, maternal and child nutrition. Provide training to provide knowledge and communication skills for village and commune health workers to effectively implement interventions on health care for mothers, children and nutrition...

To improve the quality of the population in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, the health and population sectors of the districts have promoted the dissemination of the project's purpose and significance, focusing on promoting the role of prestigious people such as village elders, village chiefs, and hamlet chiefs. Organize activities to popularize pre-marital health examination and consultation services; screen, diagnose, and treat some prenatal and neonatal diseases.

Disseminate basic knowledge about health care for the elderly; instruct the elderly on disease prevention, treatment and self-care skills; establish a club model "Elderly helping the elderly based on the community". Train and improve the capacity of staff providing consultation and health examination for the elderly. Organize integrated communication campaigns to provide health examination services and screen for some common diseases in the elderly. Prevent and control Thalassemia in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. Organize vaccination outside the station...

According to information from the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions, from 2022 to February 2025, the central budget and the Provincial People's Council allocated VND 9,635 million to implement the 3 main contents of Project 7 from the career capital source. Implementation activities include: Building and developing grassroots healthcare, improving the quality of the population in ethnic minority and mountainous areas and health care, maternal and child nutrition to reduce maternal and child mortality, improve the stature and physical strength of ethnic minorities. To date, the disbursement result has reached 87%.

In general, the planned targets of the period were almost all achieved. The rate of pregnant women receiving regular check-ups (at least 4 times during pregnancy) increased. The rate of women giving birth at medical facilities or with the support of medical staff increased. The rate of underweight children under 5 years old decreased. Communication, counseling and mobilization activities for ethnic minority and mountainous people have had a strong impact on reproductive health care and nutritional care, through direct intervention from the time the mother is pregnant and raising her child in the first 1,000 days of life.

The human resources team has been developed through training courses and capacity building courses at all levels. Maternal and child health care service packages have been deployed to beneficiaries. Vaccination points outside the station have been organized in remote, isolated, and difficult-to-access areas with difficult travel conditions in the regular expanded immunization program before and during the 2021-2025 period. By 2024, 33 vaccination points outside the station have been organized, supporting 617 vaccination points outside the station.

In addition to the achieved results, the implementation of Project 7 still faces many difficulties. Therefore, in the coming time, relevant levels, sectors and localities in the province will continue to promote activities to implement the goals and targets of Project 7, National Target Program 1719; propose key solutions for effective implementation. It is expected that Project 7 will continue to contribute to improving the rate of malnutrition in children; ethnic minorities in the province will continue to have access to modern medical services, thereby improving their physical and mental health, stature and longevity.

Ngoc Trang

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/quan-tam-nang-cao-the-trang-tam-voc-nguoi-dan-toc-thieu-so-193279.htm