Ho Chi Minh City moves to tackle low fertility rate

HCM City (VNA) - The People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City has recently promulgated a programme on fertility rate adjustment to 2030, with the aim of raising the rate of natural increase (RNI) to over 1.3% by 2030.

The programme targets solving the low fertility rate, and adjusting the rate to contribute to the successful implementation of the Vietnam Population Strategy to 2030, and the achievement of the city’s socio-economic and cultural development tasks.

Accordingly, the total fertility rate will reach 1.4 by 2025, and 1.6 by 2030. The city's population will total 10.6 million in 2025 and 12 million in 2030; and the RNI will be over 1.1% in 2025, and over 1.3% five years later.

To that end, the city will step up communication on this issue, innovate programmes and methods of education on population and reproductive health, issue more appropriate population policies, and expand access to reproductive health care and related services.

Ho Chi Minh City is among 21 provinces and cities with the lowest fertility rate in Vietnam. Statistics in 2021 showed the city’s rate was 1.48, down from 1.76 in 2000.

According to the municipal People’s Committee, the long-lasting low rate will result in rapid population aging and labour shortages, and affect social security./.