Decision No. 170/2007/QD-TTg Approves the National Target Program on Population and Family Planning for the 2006-2010 period

Pursuant to …;

Approving the National Target Program on Population and Family Planning for the period 2006-2010

_______________________

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Pursuant to the Population Ordinance dated January 9, 2003;

Considering the proposal of the Minister of Health,

DECISION:

Article 1. Approves the National Target Program on Population and Family Planning for the period 2006-2010, with the main contents as follows:

1. Objectives of the Program:

a) General Objective:

- To concentrate all efforts to achieve the goal that each couple of reproductive age has only one or two children, thereby firmly maintaining the replacement level of fertility and moving towards stabilizing the population size at a reasonable level;

- To test and expand some models and intervention solutions to contribute to improving the quality of the Vietnamese population in terms of physical, intellectual, and spiritual aspects, meeting the demand for high-quality human resources to serve the industrialization, modernization, and sustainable development of the country.

b) Specific targets by 2010:

 - The average annual rate of reduction in the total fertility rate during the period 2006-2010 is approximately 0.25‰; - The population growth rate is about 1.14% in 2010;

 - The population size is under 89 million people in 2010;

 - The rate of modern contraceptive method use reaches 70% in 2010;

 - To continue implementing models and intervention solutions to contribute to improving the quality of the population.

2. Time frame and scope of implementation of the Program:

a) Implementation period: from 2006 to 2010.

b) Scope of implementation: throughout the country, prioritizing areas with dense rural populations and unstable fertility rates, regions with high fertility rates, and areas with difficult and extremely difficult economic and social conditions.

3. Contents of the Program, including six main projects as follows:

a) Project on Propaganda, Education, and Behavioral Change:

Implementing comprehensive and regular activities of propaganda, mobilization, education, and counseling on population and family planning with appropriate content and forms for different target groups, economic and social conditions, and cultural contexts of each region and area, contributing to enhancing awareness and creating a favorable environment regarding policy, resources, and public opinion to encourage individuals, families, and communities to voluntarily change their behavior in accordance with the Party's policies and state laws on population and family planning. Focus on propaganda, mobilization, education, and counseling activities in densely populated rural areas with unstable fertility rates, regions with high fertility rates, and areas with difficult and extremely difficult economic and social conditions. Emphasize direct mobilization and counseling for couples of reproductive age, young men, and women. Enhance population education in schools.

b) Project on Improving the Quality of Family Planning Services:

Ensuring the quality, availability, timeliness, safety, and convenience of family planning services for all service users to primarily achieve family planning goals and contribute to improving the quality of the population. Prioritize providing family planning services to couples of reproductive age in densely populated rural areas with unstable fertility rates, regions with high fertility rates, and areas with difficult and extremely difficult economic and social conditions.

c) Project on Ensuring Logistics and Promoting Social Marketing of Contraceptives:

Ensuring the quality, availability, and timeliness of contraceptives for all users to contribute to achieving the goal of reducing births and preventing HIV/AIDS. Promote social marketing and wide distribution of contraceptives at market prices. Increase the rate of modern contraceptive use.

d) Project on Enhancing Management, Leadership, and Implementation Capacity of the Program:

Enhancing management, leadership, and implementation capacity of the program for staff working on population and family planning at all levels, sectors, and mass organizations to successfully implement the National Target Program on Population and Family Planning for the period 2006-2010. Focus on training, seminars, surveys, and exchanges of experience on management, leadership, and implementation methods of the program and its component projects; professional knowledge on population and family planning.

đ) Project on Improving the Quality of Specialized Information Management for Population and Family Planning:

Providing timely, accurate, and complete specialized information and data on population and family planning to meet management and leadership requirements of the program at all levels of management, contributing to building economic and social development plans.

e) Project on Testing and Expanding Some Models and Intervention Solutions to Improve the Quality of the Vietnamese Population:

Widely implementing some intervention models on prenatal and neonatal screening techniques to detect and treat early congenital diseases, birth defects, and genetic disabilities. Researching and testing some social intervention models to eliminate or change outdated customs and practices that deteriorate the quality of the population. Pilot testing models to improve the quality of the population among certain ethnic groups at risk of population decline and low population quality.

4. Investment Capital and Total Investment Cost for Implementing the Program:

- The funds for implementing the program will be raised from various sources: central budget, local budgets, international aid, community fundraising, and other legitimate sources.

 - The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and the Ministry of Finance are responsible for unifying and determining the total investment cost for implementing the program for the period 2006-2010 (from all sources) without exceeding 3.6 trillion VND. When allocating these funds, priority should be given to densely populated rural areas with unstable fertility rates, regions with high fertility rates, and areas with difficult and extremely difficult economic and social conditions.

5. Organization of Program Implementation:

 - Taking the lead and coordinating with relevant ministries, sectors, and provincial People's Committees to guide the implementation of the program; continuing to perfect, review, approve investment, manage, and organize the implementation of the program's projects according to current regulations.

a) Ministry of Health:

- Take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries, sectors, and People's Committees of centrally governed cities and provinces to direct the implementation of the Program; continue to improve, review, approve investment, manage, and organize the implementation of the Program's Projects in accordance with current regulations;

- Chairing and coordinating with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance to guide, urge, and inspect relevant ministries, sectors, and provincial People's Committees in implementing the Program; organizing annual interim reviews and reporting to the Prime Minister.

b) The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health to balance and allocate resources for the Program; develop mechanisms and policies to mobilize resources for the implementation of the Program; integrate population factors into national economic and social development programs; chair and coordinate with the Ministry of Health and related agencies to guide provincial People's Committees in integrating the National Target Program on Population and Family Planning with other National Target Programs in the same locality (from planning to implementation stages).

c) The Ministry of Finance shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, based on the State budget capacity each year, allocate the budget for ministries, sectors, and localities to implement the Program, report to the Government for submission to the National Assembly for decision; guide, audit, and inspect the use of funds for the Program according to the provisions of the State Budget Law and other relevant laws.

d) The Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs shall be responsible for integrating population content into poverty reduction and employment programs.

đ) The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall be responsible for integrating population content into agricultural extension, forestry extension, fishery extension, and rural development programs.

e) The Ministry of Education and Training shall be responsible for effectively implementing population education, reproductive health, gender equality, and gender activities both inside and outside schools.

g) The Ministry of Science and Technology shall support the Ministry of Health in developing and implementing research plans related to population, particularly those aimed at improving population quality.

Other ministries and sectors shall be responsible for participating in the implementation of the Program within their assigned tasks.

i) Provincial People's Committees under the Central Government:

- Demonstrating creativity, initiative, and proactivity in resource mobilization and exploiting local advantages; organizing the implementation of the Program's goals and contents according to the guidance of the Ministry of Health and relevant ministries and sectors;

- Effectively integrating the National Target Program on Population and Family Planning with other National Target Programs in the locality (from planning to implementation stages); regularly inspecting the Program's implementation at the local level; annually reporting on the Program's implementation in the locality according to current regulations.

k) Proposing the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee and its member organizations, and occupational social organizations to participate in the implementation of the Program within their scope of activities; organizing the dissemination and propaganda of population policy and family planning for members; mobilizing members and various social strata to comply with population policy and family planning.

Article 2. Mechanism for Managing and Implementing the Program

The mechanism for managing and implementing the National Target Program on Population and Family Planning for the period 2006-2010 shall be carried out in accordance with regulations on managing and implementing National Target Programs and other current relevant regulations.

Article 3. This Decision shall take effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

Article 4. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government agencies, and Chairpersons of Provincial People's Committees and Municipal People's Committees directly under the Central Government shall be responsible for enforcing this Decision.