The Ministry of Finance is drafting a circular amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular No. 15/2022/TT-BTC dated March 4, 2022 of the Ministry of Finance regulating the management and use of public funds to implement the National Target Program on Socio-economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the 2021-2030 period, Phase I, from 2021 to 2025.

In particular, the Ministry proposes to amend and supplement Point b, Clause 2, of the Article on the implementation of support packages for ethnic minority women in safe childbirth and child health care.

Specifically, instead of conducting field surveys in provinces with high rates of home births and the areas being home to ethnic minority groups of very small population, the Ministry of Finance proposed to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the support package in these areas, including developing tools, organizing surveys, workshops and discussions and in-depth assessments/interviews at households; field surveys; developing evaluation reports to propose a support package to encourage safe childbirth. The expenditure is specified in Clause 2, Clause 7, Clause 8, Article 4 and Article 59 of this Circular.

In addition, the financial support is provided in a lump sum for mothers to give birth safely and receive postnatal home care in provinces with a large number of ethnic minorities and a rate of home births higher than the national average (excluding services paid for by the health insurance fund).

The Ministry of Finance proposes to supplement new regulations on travel support for mothers and 01 caregiver when visiting a medical facility for 4 times of prenatal check-ups during pregnancy (1st time in the first 3 months, 2nd time in the middle 3 months, 3rd and 4th times in the last 3 months according to Decision No. 4128/QD-BYT dated July 29, 2016 of the Ministry of Health promulgating the "National Guidelines on Reproductive Health Care Services" of VND 100,000/person.

In addition, financial support for travel expenses for mothers and 01 caregiver when coming to give birth at a medical facility is VND 100,000/person.

Support package of birth care supplies including newborn diapers, sanitary napkins for mothers, diapers, newborn clothes, hats, gloves, baby socks, baby wipes, blood loss measurement bags at birth is worth VND 500,000/package/mother, in case of giving birth from two babies or more, the second baby will receive additional support of 300,000 VND/package/baby.

Food support for mothers and caregivers is 50,000 VND/day/person (maximum 3 days for normal birth and 5 days for cesarean section).

One-time support of food and nutrition for breastfeeding mothers in the first 6 months after birth is 1,200,000 VND.

Ho Nhi