The birth rate in southern provinces reduced by 2.8 percent during the first six months this year, reports the Ministry of Health’s General Department of Population and Family Planning.

The total number of children born during the first half of this year was reported at 538,280, a reduction of 2.8 percent against the same period last year, Tran Mai Hoa, deputy head of the general office, said at the July 1 online meeting to review population planning during the past six months and map out future plans.

About 23 provinces have a higher birth rate compared with the same period of 2009.

Nguyen Ba Thuy, Deputy Minister of Health, said at the conference 24 of 63 provinces and cities haven’t assigned population officers to commune level.

Birth rates reduced sharply, about 1.8 children for each woman, in localities including HCM City, Tien Giang, Binh Thuan, An Giang, and Ca Mau. The nember of third children went down by 2,323 or four percent during the period./.