Deploying communication activities in response to the National Population Action Month

In response to the National Population Action Month (December) and Vietnam Population Day (26th December) this year, the Provincial Population and Family Planning Department has instructed the Health Centers in districts, towns, and cities to implement communication activities. Accordingly, communication work must ensure seriousness, cost-effectiveness, and effective integration with grassroots communication activities.

Population officers - family planning officers of Thuan An city disseminate premarital health knowledge to members and youth in the area.

Enhancing awareness of reproductive health

This year's action month has the theme "Participating in counseling and health examination before marriage for family happiness, for the future of the country." The media content that localities need to focus on implementing on this occasion is: Orienting population work in the new situation; implementing according to Plan No. 6296/KH-UBND dated December 22, 2020 of the provincial People's Committee on the Population Communication Program until 2030 to achieve the goal: comprehensively and synchronously addressing issues of scale, structure, distribution, improving population quality, and placing it in a reciprocal relationship with socio-economic development.

In response to the National Population Action Month and Vietnam Population Day, the Health Centers in districts, towns, and cities have carried out various activities in diverse and appropriate forms to encourage active participation from a large number of officials, civil servants, employees, and the entire workforce. The positive response from the people as well as the coordination from relevant agencies has effectively integrated with other local communication activities.

In the field of communication, localities and special units place special emphasis on the content of counseling and pre-marital health examinations for the sake of family happiness and the future of the country. This is achieved through specific activities such as propaganda and mobilization of all young people to participate in counseling and health examinations before marriage, especially those at high risk. Participating in counseling and health check-ups before getting married is not only a simple demonstration of concern for one's own health, but also a fulfillment of responsibility towards one's own future family happiness and society as a whole.

Localities and units promote the purpose, significance, benefits, and importance of implementing pre-screening, diagnosis, and treatment for certain pre-existing and congenital diseases. This helps to detect and treat early some diseases that may affect sexual issues, pregnancy, and childbirth in the future. The implementation of screening and diagnosis also aims to prevent certain congenital abnormalities in children in cases where the father or mother has dangerous hereditary diseases, such as congenital hemophilia, blood clotting disorders, contributing to raising awareness and encouraging voluntary participation of the population.

Enhancing the effectiveness of communication

In carrying out the communication work, local Health Centers also need to pay attention to providing knowledge about reproductive health and sexual health to men and women of childbearing age, so that they have understanding and practice safe contraception; To prevent sexually transmitted diseases; provide good prenatal care for a healthy pregnancy; enhance awareness campaigns to ensure adolescents, young adults, and workers in industrial and export processing zones have better access to reproductive health services, family planning, and contribute to reducing unintended pregnancies, abortions, infertility prevention, and improving population quality. Health centers also need to raise public awareness of the harmful effects and consequences of consanguineous marriage; strictly enforce the laws prohibiting consanguineous marriage, especially in remote areas with a large population of ethnic minorities.

The centers also promote awareness of the consequences of unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and the importance of effective family planning to ensure that women are in good health conditions for safe pregnancies and childbirth, contributing to sustainable marriages and improving the quality of offspring. The song emphasizes the promotion of awareness regarding the advantages, difficulties, challenges, and directions of population work in the coming period. It also includes the opinions of scientists, managers, and policy planners on population work. Additionally, it incorporates the views of population work officials and various social groups on the implementation of the Party and State's population policies in the new situation.

The communication work must ensure seriousness, efficiency, and integration with communication activities at the grassroots level. Depending on the actual situation of each locality, communication activities are organized through various forms such as rallies, parades, banners, visual displays, theatrical performances; symposiums, conferences, workshops, group discussions; and support for communication on mass media channels.

Through responsive activities at the local level to enhance population communication in line with the spirit of Resolution No. 21-NQ/TW dated October 25, 2017, of the 6th Central Committee, 12th term, on population work in the new situation, the population strategy of Vietnam until 2030, along with the programs and plans for 2030, approved by the Prime Minister to affirm the correct direction of the Party and the State in population work, garner support from Party committees at all levels, local authorities, and public consensus. It aims to encourage organizations and individuals both domestically and internationally to participate in implementing the population and development program.

Reported by Hong Thuan – Translated by Vi Bao