A woman receives prenatal check (Photo: VNA)prenatal and newborn screening rate at over 80 percent on an annual basis since
2011, heard a meeting celebrating ‘s Population Day (Dec. 26) held in
the city on December 20.
According to statistics from the municipal Department for
Population Family Planning, between 2011 and September this year, 247,900 local
women received , of whom 14,000 were diagnosed with diseases,
while the figures for infants stood at 233,400 and 970. The screening tests
facilitated early treatments, which helped reduce the rate of newborns with
disabilities.
Nguyen Huu Hung, Deputy Director of the municipal Health
Department, said a large number of residents are unaware of these benefits,
thus creating difficulties for communications work.
He also attributed low number of participants in various
prenatal and newborn screening tests to the fact that only two types of which
are currently subsided by the State.
Speaking at the ceremony, Nguyen Van Tan, deputy head of the
General Office for Population and Family Planning, lauded efforts made by the
municipal authorities in making prenatal and newborn screening available to
residents.
He suggested the city review its policy for birth rate
reduction, as the local replacement birth rate is at the lowest level nationwide,
hovering around 1.3 – 1.4 children per woman.
He asked the city to work out specific plans of action to
carry out the Party Central Committee’s Resolution 21 on population work, toward
the goals of sustaining the replacement fertility rate, bringing the sex ratio
at birth down to the suitable level, fully tapping the gold population
structure, and adapting to the aging population.-VNA
Source: VietnamPlus
