The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has recently submitted a proposal for the municipal People’s Committee’s approval. This proposal outlines solutions to increase the overall birth rate and manage the health of pregnant women, newborns, and children in the city from now until 2030.
Specifically, the plan includes fully covering the costs for pregnant women participating in prenatal and newborn screening programs. It also provides full reimbursement of expenses (after deducting the amount covered by health insurance) for regular prenatal check-ups and childbirth.
Additionally, the proposal suggests planning and constructing childcare centers and kindergartens that cater to the needs of mothers, especially in export processing zones, industrial areas, and urban districts. It also aims to pilot worker-friendly services such as adjusting childcare hours and supporting boarding school expenses for preschool and elementary students. Furthermore, the plan encourages the establishment of breastfeeding rooms at workplaces.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, the city currently ranks among the 21 provinces and cities with the lowest birth rates nationwide. The total fertility rate in the southern metropolis remained nearly unchanged at around 1.32 children per woman of childbearing age.
Therefore, efforts to strengthen state population management are crucial to addressing this falling birth rate.
