The MOH’s Circular 01 released on March 10 guides local authorities in policies to maintain the replacement fertility rate, control the sex imbalance at birth, and improve the quality of the population.

In order to control the sex imbalance at birth, local authorities can choose policies to encourage and support couples who have two children of the same sex and commit to not have more children. The policies include honoring the couples for raising children well; exempting or reducing tuition; giving financial support for insurance and dairy products; and other measures.

The communes with 100 percent of hamlets which commit to controll mm sex imbalance in their village conventions may receive rewards in cash or in kind.

In addition, MOH also offers preferences to maintain the replacement fertility rate.

In the 33 provinces listed as having a high fertility rate, hamlets and communes with families which do not give birth to three or more children for three consecutive years may get in-cash or in-kind rewards from district authorities.

If the achievement is gained for five consecutive years, they will get rewards from the provincial authorities.

The women of childbearing age who already have two children and voluntarily apply long-term contraception will receive cash and in kind.

In 21 provinces listed as having a sub-fertility rate, the communes which for three consecutive years have at least 60 percent of couples (of childbearing age) with two children will get rewards in cash or in kind from district authorities. The rewards will be from provincial authorities if the achievement can be maintained for five years.

In these areas, women who have two children before they turn 35 years old will get support in cash or in kind, to be decided by the local authorities.

The average fertility rate in these 21 provinces is 1.5-1.6 children per woman of childbearing age. In HCM City, the rate is 1.24, the lowest in the country.

Dinh Huy Duong from the General Directorate of Population said the circular just gives guidance, while local authorities will determine the support methods. MOH does not require common encouragement methods.

The budget for implementing the solutions to encourage and reward collectives and individuals for their implementation of the population work will be sourced from local budgets and other legal sources. 

Thuy Hanh

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