Joint Circular No. 233/2009/TTLT-BTC-BYT guiding the management and use of funds for implementing the Population Control Program in coastal, island, and near-coastal areas from 2009 to 2020

JOINT CIRCULAR

Guidelines for managing and using funds to implement the Population Control Program in coastal, island, and near-coastal areas for the period 2009-2020

the coastal, island, and marine areas phase from 2009 to 2020

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Pursuant to Decree No. 60/2003/NĐ-CP dated June 6, 2003 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of the Law on State Budget;

Pursuant to Decision No. 52/2009/QĐ-TTg dated April 9, 2009 of the Prime Minister approving the Population Control Program in coastal, island, and near-coastal areas for the period 2009-2020;

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health issue guidelines for managing and using funds to implement the Population Control Program in coastal, island, and near-coastal areas for the period 2009-2020 (hereinafter referred to as the Marine Population Program) as follows:

Article 1. Scope and Objectives

Article 1. These Circular provides guidance on the content, expenditure levels, budget preparation, management, utilization, and settlement of accounts for the main activities of the Marine Population Program as stipulated in Clause 3, Article 1 of Decision No. 52/2009/QĐ-TTg dated April 9, 2009 of the Prime Minister.

Article 2. The subjects applying these Circular are agencies and units that use state budget funds to implement the Marine Population Program.

Article 2. Sources of Funds

Article 1. Funds for implementing the Marine Population Program are allocated within the budget for implementing the National Target Program on Population and Family Planning (NTPDS-FP) and other sources of funding as prescribed, specifically:

- Central government budget capital, local government budget capital;

- International aid capital (if any);

- Other lawful capital sources.

2. Management funds for the Marine Population Program are allocated within the annual state budget expenditure plan of central ministries and sectors and localities according to current regulations on managing and operating national target programs.

3. In addition to the contents and expenditure levels prescribed in this Circular, depending on financial capacity and specific conditions, Provincial People's Committees have the responsibility to allocate funds from the annual local state budget expenditure plan to support the implementation of the Marine Population Program, subject to approval by the same-level People's Council; together with additional targeted funds from the central government for the Marine Population Program and integrated with other capital sources in the locality to be spent according to the common system of the locality to enhance the effectiveness of the Program.

Article 3. Content and General Expenditure Levels

Article 1. The general content and expenditure levels of activities under the Marine Population Program shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of Section II of Circular Jointly Issued No. 32/2008/TTLT-BTC-BYT dated April 17, 2008 of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health guiding the management and use of funds for implementing the NTPDS-FP for the period 2006-2010.

In addition, this Circular supplements some general contents and expenditure levels of the Marine Population Program as follows:

a) Expenditure for supporting the organization of club activities, peer groups, direct counseling, and community counseling: on maternal health care, child health care, reproductive health, family planning; on health checks, high-risk factor checks directly affecting pregnancy, fetal development, and fetal quality for couples preparing to marry; on high-risk factors directly affecting normal fetal development due to marine environmental impacts; on interventions to ensure normal fetal development and health for pregnant women living and working in brackish water, estuary, river mouth, and sea areas in coastal communes with brackish water, estuary, river mouth, and sea areas; on preventing sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies, and safe abortions; specifically:

- Expenditure for materials serving counseling sessions. The expenditure level is based on actual needs and is consistent with the content of the counseling session.

- Expenditure for drinking water for participants in counseling sessions: 5,000 VND/person/session.

- Expenditure for supporting counselors conducting mobile direct counseling at households (minimum of five households per session): 100,000 VND/person/session; for counselors organizing counseling at fixed points but not exceeding 450,000 VND/person/month.

b) Expenditure for supporting individuals directly participating in monitoring and supervising the Program's activities in island districts, island communes, coastal communes, communes with estuaries, brackish water, boat harbors, fishing ports, fishing villages, river mouths, and sea mouths. The expenditure level is 30,000 VND/person/day outside the current travel allowance.

c) Expenditure for building and expanding models approved by competent authorities:

- The Director of the General Department of Population and Family Planning approves models implemented by central-level units.

- The Director of the Provincial Population and Family Planning Service approves models implemented by local units.

The content and expenditure levels for each activity of the model are implemented according to the current financial expenditure regime.

Article 4. Content and Special Expenditure Levels

1. Activities to meet the needs for maternal and child health care and family planning

a) Content and expenditure levels for organizing and implementing mobile medical-family planning teams at the district level:

- Expenditure on purchasing medical equipment and supplies for mobile medical-family planning teams at the district level according to the list of the Ministry of Health. Procurement shall be carried out in accordance with current regulations.

- Staff participating in mobile medical-family planning teams as approved by the Director of the Department of Health, when traveling to provide outreach communication, counseling, and maternal and child health services, family planning, and reproductive health services shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with current regulations. In addition, they will be provided with an additional allowance of VND 50,000 per person per day when traveling to island districts and island communes (maximum 10 days per trip); VND 30,000 per person per day when traveling to coastal communes, communes with over 5,000 migrant workers employed in industrial zones, export processing zones, tourist areas, economic zones, seaports, marinas, and fishing ports (maximum 7 days per trip). In special cases where travel to island districts and island communes is truly difficult due to transportation, actual travel days may be reimbursed.

- Expenditure on fuel or rental of transportation vehicles (if necessary) for outreach activities. The expenditure level shall be based on the average rental price in the locality.

- Expenditure on supporting communication materials (including message writing, broadcasting on radio systems, and specialized talks). The expenditure level shall be based on actual costs incurred, consistent with the content of communication but not exceeding VND 1,000,000 per outreach trip.

- Expenditure on providing maternal and child health care services, family planning, and reproductive health services during outreach trips:

+ Treatment of common reproductive tract infections according to the essential drug and consumable items list prescribed by the Ministry of Health.

+ Expenditure on vaginal speculum examination: VND 12,000 per examination.

+ Expenditure on wet mount microscopy: VND 5,000 per slide.

+ Allowance for prenatal examination and examination of reproductive tract infections: VND 4,000 per person per session.

+ Injection of contraceptive drugs: VND 2,000 per dose.

b) Expenditure on purchasing, receiving, storing, and transporting essential drugs and consumable items for family planning procedures and safe abortion operations according to the standard set by the Minister of Health.

c) Technical and management costs (customer records, follow-up forms, statistical tables, soap, electricity, oil, etc.): based on actual expenditures.

d) Allowance for family planning operations and safe abortion procedures: based on current regulations.

In cases where staff performing operations and procedures have already received allowances from regular healthcare facility funding sources or other programs/projects, they shall not receive allowances from the Project's funding source and vice versa.

đ) Expenditure on supporting managers and monitors for individuals using modern contraception methods for the first 12 months: VND 3,000 per person monitored.

e) Expenditure on essential drugs and technical costs for handling complications for individuals undergoing sterilization who suffer complications after the insurance period has ended and for individuals undergoing other clinical contraceptive methods if complications arise: based on actual payment receipts.

g) Provision of condoms and contraceptive drugs to workers before long-term sea voyages, upon arrival at shore, and at marinas in coastal communes with many workers at sea.

h) In cases where the agency managing the Marine Population Project implements through contracts with healthcare facilities to perform testing, surgical, and family planning procedures and other services as stipulated: the expenditure level shall be based on the current public hospital fee schedule for public healthcare facilities.

2. Improving the quality of births in marine and coastal regions

a) For pre-marriage counseling and health checks, high-risk factor screening directly affecting pregnancy, fetal development, and fetal quality for couples preparing to marry: expenditure on supporting health checks, Rh factor (Rhesus), hepatitis B virus, and other tests for couples preparing to marry according to the current public hospital fee schedule for public healthcare facilities.

b) For health care services for pregnant women at high risk in coastal areas to prevent high-risk factors directly affecting normal fetal development due to marine environmental impacts: expenditure on supporting health checks according to the current public hospital fee schedule for public healthcare facilities.

c) For pilot interventions ensuring normal fetal development and health for pregnant women living and working in brackish water areas, lagoons, river mouths, and sea mouths in coastal communes with brackish water areas, lagoons, river mouths, and sea mouths: expenditure on supporting health checks according to the current public hospital fee schedule for public healthcare facilities.

3. Prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies, and safe abortions

Expenditure on supporting health checks and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies, and safe abortions for individuals aged 15 to 24 years old who are unmarried, not enrolled in school, unemployed, or employed in unstable jobs in coastal communes, communes with industrial zones, export processing zones, tourist areas, economic zones, marinas, fishing ports, fish markets, seaports according to the current public hospital fee schedule for public healthcare facilities.

4. Building and improving information management systems

a) Expenditure on supporting the collection and updating of new demographic information and population dynamics data for population and family planning commune-level cadres in island districts with 1,000 residents or more and coastal districts:

- Collection and updating of population dynamics data: VND 1,000 per household.

- Collection and updating of new information: VND 2,000 per household.

b) Expenditure on supporting the collection and updating of input data for electronic databases specializing in population and family planning, reproductive health, maternal and child health: VND 3,000 per data entry form.

c) For the creation of electronic information on computer networks: the content and amount of expenditure shall be in accordance with the provisions of Circular No. 137/2007/TT-BTC dated November 28, 2007 of the Ministry of Finance on guiding the level of expenditure for creating electronic information.

d) For telecommunications activities at current pricing levels.

đ) For purchasing software copyrights and antivirus copyrights.

e) For supporting the work of compiling data, writing reports to serve the construction and improvement of the management information system in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Health:

- For population and family planning volunteers:

+ The expenditure level of 100,000 VND/person/year applies to communes with brackish water areas, tidal flats, harbors, fishing ports, fishing villages, river mouths, and sea mouths.

+ The expenditure level of 70,000 VND/person/year applies to the remaining communes.

- For commune-level population and family planning staff:

+ The expenditure level of 250,000 VND/person/year applies to communes with brackish water areas, tidal flats, harbors, fishing ports, fishing villages, river mouths, and sea mouths.

+ The expenditure level of 180,000 VND/person/year applies to the remaining communes.

g) For building models of electronic information management on population, reproductive health, and family planning for people working at sea, in industrial zones, export processing zones, tourist areas, economic zones, and migrant workers moving to coastal areas through electronic transactions in coastal communes, communes with industrial zones, export processing zones, tourist areas, economic zones, harbors, fishing ports, and seaports: the content and amount of expenditure shall be in accordance with the provisions of Circular No. 137/2007/TT-BTC dated November 28, 2007 of the Ministry of Finance on guiding the level of expenditure for creating electronic information.

5. Strengthening and enhancing the effectiveness of population communication work on reproductive health and family planning.

a) For education, propaganda, and dissemination of knowledge about population policy and family planning through mass media at central and local levels: the expenditure level shall be based on market prices in the locality.

b) For the construction, production, duplication, and distribution of communication materials, products, and documents serving communication activities: the expenditure level shall be based on the quota and unit price of similar tasks in relevant sectors.

c) For training allowances for staff working on population and family planning:

- Mobilizing and counseling individuals who accept intrauterine devices: 7,000 VND/case accepted.

- Mobilizing and counseling individuals who accept sterilization: 15,000 VND/case accepted.

d) For supporting staff from counseling centers and family planning service centers providing counseling on reproductive health and family planning to target groups: the expenditure level shall be implemented according to Point a, Clause 2, Article 3 of this Circular.

đ) For radio broadcasting activities in island communes, coastal communes, and communes with tidal flats, brackish water areas, harbors, fishing ports, fishing villages, river mouths, and sea mouths:

- Editing costs: 70,000 VND/page of 350 words.

- Broadcasting costs: 15,000 VND/per broadcast.

- Hiring interpreters and broadcasters in ethnic languages: maximum 70,000 VND/person/day.

- Costs for making new and repairing bulletin boards and slogans: based on market prices in the locality.

e) For promotional campaigns and mobilization activities linked to the provision of reproductive health/family planning services:

- Information and promotional activities on mass media in the locality before and during the campaign period.

- Decoration, photo documentation, fuel expenses, or rental of transportation means and other activities based on market prices in the locality.

g) For remuneration for population staff or volunteers conducting small group mobile communication: 100,000 VND/session, maximum two sessions/month.

h) For organizing contests to promote understanding of population policy and family planning, including:

- Compiling test questions and answers: maximum 500,000 VND/contest.

- Training allowance for marking tests, contest judges, and announcing results: maximum 200,000 VND/day/person.

- Training allowance for organizing committee members: maximum 150,000 VND/day/person.

- Expenditure for prizes:

+ Team prize: maximum 2,000,000 VND/prize.

+ Individual prize: maximum 1,000,000 VND/prize.

Depending on the scale of the contest (central, provincial, grassroots,...), the head of the organizing agency or unit shall decide the specific prize expenditure within the allocated budget estimate.

- Other expenditures serving the contest (if any) such as renting stages, conference halls, sound systems, lighting, props, decorations; allowances for service providers, program hosts; support for travel, food, and accommodation expenses for contestants staying at the organizing location; office supplies, ceremonial expenses; fuel or transportation expenses,...: the expenditure level shall be implemented according to current regulations; in cases where there are no specified expenditure levels, the head of the organizing agency or unit shall decide the expenditure level within the allocated budget estimate.

- For compiling and reporting contest results: the expenditure level for central level is 500,000 VND/report, provincial level is 300,000 VND/report, district level is 200,000 VND/report, commune level is 100,000 VND/report.

6. Enhancing the Effectiveness of Project Management.

a) For supporting staff working on population and family planning at commune health stations, in addition to their current salary:

- For island communes, coastal communes, and communes with tidal flats, brackish water areas, harbors, fishing ports, fishing villages, river mouths, and sea mouths: 100,000 VND/person/month.

- For the remaining communes: 50,000 VND/person/month.

b) For supporting non-professional staff working on population and family planning at the commune level who have not been recruited as civil servants of the commune health station (if any), in addition to the monthly allowance stipulated in Decree No. 92/2009/NĐ-CP dated October 22, 2009 of the Government on job titles, number, and some policies for commune, ward, town, and non-professional staff at the commune level and related guiding documents:

- For island communes, coastal communes, and communes with tidal flats, brackish water areas, harbors, fishing ports, fishing villages, river mouths, and sea mouths: 300,000 VND/person/month.

- For the remaining communes: 200,000 VND/person/month.

c) For remuneration for population and family planning volunteers in villages, hamlets, ấp, bản, làng, and community clusters:

- For island communes, coastal communes, and communes with tidal flats, brackish water areas, harbors, fishing ports, fishing villages, river mouths, and sea mouths: 100,000 VND/person/month.

- For the remaining communes: 50,000 VND/person/month.

The number of collaborators in each village, hamlet, ward, commune, and community cluster shall be determined based on the number of households, specifically: for villages, hamlets, wards, communes, and community clusters located in island communes, coastal communes, communes with brackish water lakes, tidal flats, harbors, fishing ports, river mouths, and sea mouths, from 30 to 50 households shall be allocated 01 collaborator; for villages, hamlets, wards, communes, and community clusters in other communes, from 100 to 150 households shall be allocated 01 collaborator.

d) Training and capacity-building expenses for enhancing management capabilities for cadres working on population and family planning at all levels: the specific content and expenditure levels shall be in accordance with the Circular guiding the management and utilization of training and capacity-building funds for civil servants issued by the Ministry of Finance.

đ) Expenses for supporting data compilation and writing reports on the implementation of the Marine Population Project according to the reporting regulations stipulated by the Ministry of Health: the expenditure level for the central level is VND 500,000/year; for the provincial level is VND 300,000/province/year; for the district level is VND 200,000/district/year; and for the commune level is VND 100,000/commune/year.

Article 5. Budget preparation, allocation, management, and settlement

1. For the period 2009-2010: the preparation, allocation, management, and settlement of the budget for implementing the Marine Population Project shall be consolidated within the budget of the Target Program on Population and Family Planning in accordance with Circular Joint Circular No. 32/2008/TTLT-BTC-BYT dated April 17, 2008, issued by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health, guiding the management and utilization of funds for implementing the National Target Program on Population and Family Planning for the period 2006-2010.

2. For the period 2011-2020: the preparation, allocation, management, and settlement of the budget for implementing the Marine Population Project shall be carried out in accordance with the current regulations on managing and operating national target programs and related current regulations.

3. The budget for implementing the Marine Population Project shall be recorded under Class 520, Item 533, Program Code 0030, and Project Code 0037.

4. For the items of expenditure under the National Target Program on Population and Family Planning implemented in 28 centrally-administered provinces and cities and 148 districts, counties, towns, and cities within the scope of the Marine Population Project that do not overlap with the expenditure items specified in this Circular for the Marine Population Project, they shall be recorded under the corresponding project codes under the National Target Program on Population and Family Planning in accordance with current regulations.

Article 6. Effectiveness

This Circular shall take effect 45 days from the date of issuance and shall be applied from the date when Decision No. 52/2009/QĐ-TTg dated April 9, 2009, of the Prime Minister approving the Marine Population Control Plan for the period 2009-2020 comes into force.

In case it is necessary after the completion of the National Target Program on Population and Family Planning for the period 2006-2010, the relevant ministries will amend and supplement accordingly.

Any difficulties encountered during implementation should be promptly reported to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health for study and resolution./.