Ho Chi Minh City is likely face numerous difficulties in population management in the next five years due to a rapidly aging population, as heard at a recent conference in the city.

The birth rate in the city is as low as 1.32 percent, compared to 1.9 percent nationally, which could directly impact the population structure with the decreasing proportion of young people and the imbalance between working ages and the elderly.

Furthermore, unstable population and family planning organisation, insufficient social investment, uneven population distribution and the increasing number of migrants are posing challenges to the city, according to Doctor Tran Van Tri, Deputy Head of the municipal Population-Family Planning Division.

He added that the city will focus its efforts on addressing major issues such as abortion and gender imbalance in the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile, Director of the local Health Department Nguyen Tan Binh suggested supporting areas with high rates of migrants and impoverished workers to help them benefit from the city’s population policies.

The city has begun encouraging families to have two children, instead of one to two previously, while avoiding gender preferences and selection.

After five years of implementing the national target programme on population and family planning, Ho Chi Minh City has seen significant achievements in the field.

Since 2011, as many as 155,000 pregnant women have received prenatal health care and 164,000 newborns have undergone medical exams. Reproductive health services have been made available to female workers and students.

VNA