Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand's PublicHealth Ministry on November 16 launched a "Give Birth, Great World"campaign to encourage couples to have babies and boost the nation's worryinglylow birth rate.
Speaking at the launching ceremony,Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew said that the campaign seeksto promote parenthood among young couples as many of them are choosing to delayor decide against having children for various reasons.
He called on the couples to dispel the beliefthat having more children will make one poor, especially among those who arefrom a higher socioeconomic background.
The minister emphasises that fixing thenation's low birth rate is now a priority item on the government's agenda.
He added that if current trends continue,Thailand looks set to be one of the 23 countries in the world whose populationwill shrink in the next couple of decades.
According to the ministry,there were nearly 500,000 babies born last year in Thailand, the lowest numberin 70 years.
To boost the nation's flagging birth rate,the ministry will also establish 119 fertility centres nationwide including 12at provincial public health clinics run by the Department of Health, 16 atpublic hospitals, and 91 at private hospitals. The clinics will be able todispense advice and treatment for people with reproductive issues./.
