Many provinces and cities with low birth rates have implemented many support plans to encourage people to have children. However, in reality, even though the province rewards people with money, people are still reluctant to give birth. For example, Hau Giang province gives certificates of merit and supports 1.5 million VND in hospital fees to women who give birth to two children before the age of 35. This group is also supported with one-time costs for prenatal screening and newborn screening according to the medical service prices at public facilities… However, the birth rate of this province has not improved, currently at 1.52 children/woman.
Tien Giang also rewards 30 million VND to communes and wards that have achieved and exceeded the rate of 60% of couples of childbearing age having two children for 3 consecutive years. If this rate is achieved for 5 consecutive years, the corresponding reward is 50 million VND. However, after more than two years of implementation, the local birth rate is still low, even decreasing. The average number of children of a Tien Giang woman of childbearing age is 1.66.
Experts assess that the prolonged low birth rate leaves many consequences, including a decline in population size, a shortage of labor force, increased migration to meet production and development needs, and accelerated population aging… This has a major impact on socio-economic development, national defense, security, and affects the country’s sustainable development process.
Professor Nguyen Thien Nhan said that Vietnam aims to become a developed country by 2045, but must quickly resolve the problem of declining birth rates to survive. According to him, rich countries like Japan and South Korea are currently facing a situation where they are developing, have high average incomes but cannot reproduce their people.
“As rich as Japan and South Korea are, they cannot regenerate their population and rely on immigrants. Thus, being rich is not a prerequisite for a country to survive,” Professor Nhan said, emphasizing that from now until 2045, Vietnam needs to set a goal to soon resolve the problem of declining birth rates.
To avoid a sharp decline in birth rates, the population sector is amending and supplementing support and birth promotion policies, abolishing the criteria for reducing the number of children born to three or more, encouraging women to get married before the age of 30 and have two children before the age of 35. Piloting and expanding child-pick-up and drop-off services, babysitting, breast milk banks, and family doctors. Focusing on planning and building childcare centers and kindergartens suitable for mothers’ conditions, especially in economic zones, industrial zones, and urban areas. Supporting and encouraging couples with two children to buy social housing or rent housing; supporting children’s education costs…
These contents have been proposed and included in the draft Population Law that the Ministry of Health plans to submit to the Government in December 2024 and to the National Assembly in October 2025.