City to develop more healthcare programmes for youth

HCM CITY — The HCM City Division for Population and Family Planning has called for more programmes and policies that will help reduce the rate of unwanted pregnancies among youth, division director Trần Văn Trị said.

Trị spoke during a meeting held last week on the occasion of Việt Nam’s Population Day and National Action Month on Population.

Unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions are challenges for government agencies, as many young people do not practise safe sex and suffer from reproductive tract infections as well.

The Ministry of Health’s General Office for Population and Family Planning said more information about preventive methods against reproductive tract infections and safe contraception should be disseminated among the young.  

Healthcare guidance before marriage should also be given, the ministry said.  

The city targets a rate of 70 per cent of couples using safe reproductive methods.

More than 22 per cent of the population are 10-24 years old, according to the division’s report.

The division this year carried out many communication programmes on reproductive health care services in industrial parks and export processing zones, universities, colleges and vocational schools.

It provided contraceptive methods to 564,500 people and encouraged 715 young couples who plan to marry to visit health facilities for health examinations before marriage.

Võ Thành Đông, deputy head of the General Office for Population and Family Planning, said the city should also develop policies about health, education and other issues for migrants. — VNS