The Hanoi Health Department launched the National Action Month on Population on December 4th with a focus on communication campaigns to promote family planning.

Achievements in population and family planning work have contributed to raising the per capita income and improving living conditions in the city as well as to enhancing gender equality, the department’s Deputy Director Hoang Duc Hanh said at the ceremony.

Photo for illustration. Photo: Vietnam+

The city met or over-fulfilled all the targets for population and family planning in 2013 and 2014. The birth rate in 2014 was 16.5 per thousand cent, a decrease of 1.22 per thousand compared to 2013. The sex ratio at birth was 114 boys per 100 girls.

However, unsustainable reduction in birth rate and fluctuating sex ratio at birth remain big challenges to the city, Hoang added.

The city will closely work with relevant authorities and agencies to better its policies on population and family planning. Large-scale education campaigns will continue to be held with a view to raising the public awareness on population in response to the Vietnam’s Population Day (December 26th).

Source: VNA