Circular No. 17-BYT/TT guiding the renaming of Maternal Health Stations to Maternal and Child Health Centers and Family Planning Centers in provinces, cities, and centrally administered municipalities.

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for renaming maternal health stations and family planning clinics to "Maternal and Child Health Care Centers and Family Planning" in provinces, cities, and centrally administered municipalities.

To implement National Program Number 2 of the Ministry of Health on the work of "Family Planning Combined with Maternal and Child Health Care" to reduce birth rates and quickly bring the national population growth rate to a reasonable level, while improving comprehensive and appropriate healthcare for women and children in line with current economic and social development conditions.

After reaching consensus with the Government Organizing Committee, the Ministry of Health issued a circular guiding the renaming of maternal health and family planning stations to "Maternal and Child Health Care Centers and Family Planning" in provinces, cities, and centrally administered municipalities as follows:

I. POSITION, FUNCTION, AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH CARE CENTER AND FAMILY PLANNING CENTER

The Maternal and Child Health Care Center and Family Planning Center is a medical unit under the direct management and guidance of the Provincial Department of Health in all aspects, while also subject to professional guidance from two Institutes: the Institute for Maternal and Neonatal Health Protection and the Central Institute for Child Health Protection. In terms of state administration, it is directed by the Office of Maternal and Child Health Protection and Family Planning. The Office of Maternal and Child Health Protection and Family Planning will become the Department of Maternal and Child Health Protection and Family Planning in 1991.

Under the direction of the Provincial Department of Health, the center is responsible for organizing and implementing programs for maternal and child health care and family planning to ensure the reduction of birth rates in the locality and improve the health of women and children within its jurisdiction.

Specific responsibilities of the center include:

Managing health care activities for mothers and children and family planning, coordinating with related organizations at the local level, seeking support both domestically and internationally, contributing to improving the quality of life for women and children.

1. Developing and implementing programs to reduce birth rates by increasing the number of people who accept contraception in the province, city, or special administrative region in line with the natural population growth targets of the locality.

Implementing diverse contraceptive methods, organizing services, providing convenient access to contraceptives, reducing unwanted pregnancies for all target groups.

Supervising county health centers, industrial and agricultural enterprises, and other units in their implementation of family planning and maternal and child health care targets.

2. Organizing and closely coordinating with related organizations at the local level such as the Women's Union, Youth League, Farmers' Association, Red Cross, Trade Union, Population and Family Planning Commission... hospitals, maternity homes, primary health care clinics, private medical facilities, to promote and mobilize cadres and the public to implement family planning; maintain environmental hygiene, protect pregnancy, and safeguard children's rights and health.

3. Monitoring and supervising the implementation of national programs on maternal and child health care and family planning.

Organizing mobile teams to visit grassroots levels, villages, communities, industrial and agricultural enterprises, and institutions, closely combining two types of work:

a. Promoting the distribution and application of contraceptive techniques, and conducting routine gynecological examinations and treatments for women.

b. Monitoring and evaluating child health care programs.

Guiding commune health centers and primary health care facilities in conducting routine gynecological examinations, managing pregnancies, caring for pregnant women before, during, and after childbirth, understanding various contraceptive methods, and pediatric care.

Guiding marriage and family affairs.

Regularly inspecting and following up on individuals using contraceptive methods, addressing and treating complications effectively.

Researching, supplying, and marketing contraceptive devices.

Managing indicators related to maternal and child health care and family planning to report to the Provincial Department of Health and the Ministry of Health.

Organizing summaries and drawing lessons from all aspects of maternal and child health care and family planning work.

4. Closely coordinating between the Center and the Obstetrics and Pediatrics Departments of provincial general hospitals or specialized obstetric and pediatric hospitals if available, and preventive health centers to implement comprehensive maternal and child health care and family planning programs, including 16 specific programs currently being directed nationwide by the Ministry.

The Center is responsible for organizing and directing the lower-level network down to primary health care clinics, obstetrics and pediatrics departments of provincial general hospitals or specialized obstetric and pediatric hospitals, which are responsible for technical expertise and training according to the Center’s plan. Efforts should be made to train all male and female midwives to be proficient in maternal and child health care and family planning methods.

Organizing guidance for men and women of reproductive age to perform contraceptive techniques and avoid unwanted pregnancies.

Organizing monitoring of the development of healthy children without diseases.

5. Assisting the County Health Bureau or County Health Center in advising and researching to develop demographic and family planning plans and measures for the County People's Committee and effectively implementing maternal and child health care work.

6. Proposing solutions to supplement and modify policies for women and children to suit each region of the locality, while monitoring the implementation of these policies at the grassroots level to effectively carry out maternal and child health care and family planning work.

7. Caring for the material and spiritual well-being of staff at the Center.

II. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH CARE CENTER AND FAMILY PLANNING CENTER
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH CARE AND FAMILY PLANNING

1. Currently, the Maternal and Child Health Care Center and Family Planning Center is established based on the existing maternal health station and family planning clinic, maintaining the original organizational structure.

The team that changes intrauterine devices is renamed the Family Planning Team.

Seal: Changing the seal of the maternal health station and family planning clinic to the seal of "Maternal and Child Health Care Center and Family Planning Center."

3. The organizational structure of the Center is as follows:

a. Management and Guidance Unit Includes:

The Director of the Center is appointed by the Director of the Provincial Department of Health and is responsible for all activities of the Center.

Two Deputy Directors are assigned by the Center Director.

One Deputy Director specializing in overseeing maternal and child health care and family planning programs.

The Deputy Director shall be responsible for administrative affairs, materials, equipment, medical supplies, and the living conditions of staff at the Center.

Other departments shall maintain the existing organizational structure of the Maternal and Child Health Care Station.

b. AT The Center shall have a number of mobile family planning teams equipped with pediatric knowledge to both perform techniques and monitor maternal and child health networks, closely adhering to the grassroots level.

Counties and towns that do not establish their own centers shall maintain regular relations with the Provincial Center for Maternal and Child Health Care and Family Planning.

The Obstetrics Department and Pediatrics Department of the district hospital shall be responsible for performing well in professional technical matters.

The provincial mobile family planning team may provide continuous or periodic support based on the requirements of each location.

c. Due to the important task of directing the implementation of National Priority Program Number 2 of the sector, the salaries of responsible officers shall be ranked at the same level as hospital leaders.

III. STAFFING, OPERATING FUNDS AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE CENTER
FOR THE CENTER

1. Regarding staffing, the Center shall retain the staffing of the Maternal and Child Health Care Station, adjusting by adding one to two pediatric doctors or technicians to manage children's health care work.

Staffing for management at the Center and the Family Planning Team shall be adjusted by the Department of Health based on tasks and functions within the healthcare sector, ensuring that the Center's organizational structure can achieve local targets.

2. Operating funds: under current conditions, the operating funds of the Center shall be sourced from four main channels:

a. Primarily from local funds.

b. Support from the Ministry of Health

c. Foreign aid funds

d. Mobilization from the community

Housing, specialized equipment, and working tools shall be based on the existing facilities of the Maternal and Child Health Care Station. If there are shortages, detailed plans must be prepared to match the local situation and reported to the Department of Health for approval, or the Department of Health may request approval from the Provincial People's Committee.

IV. WORK RELATIONS AND PROCEDURES

Based on the direction and plan of the Ministry and the Department of Health, the Center shall prepare its work plan and report it to the Department of Health, which will then report to the Provincial People's Committee for review and inclusion in the local plan indicators.

According to the plan, the Department of Health shall directly guide and inspect, while the Center implements the plan.

Monthly, quarterly, and annually, the Center shall conduct summaries and evaluations of its work, providing guidance to healthcare facilities within the region and reporting upwards through the vertical system.

Centers need to develop plans for close cooperation with relevant sectors, mass organizations, specialized medical departments of the province, obstetric and pediatric departments of hospitals or specialized pediatric hospitals, county health offices or county health centers to effectively carry out professional technical work and health education, propaganda, and mobilization activities.

The above guidelines from the Ministry of Health direct the renaming of Maternal and Child Health Care Stations to Centers for Maternal and Child Health Care and Family Planning in provinces, cities, and centrally-administered municipalities.

This Circular replaces Circular No. 09 BYT/TT dated December 21, 1975 issued by the Ministry of Health.

We request the People's Committees of provinces, cities, and centrally-administered municipalities to study and directly guide to create favorable conditions for the effective operation of the Centers./.