Gender imbalance control challenges nation

Family planning work has gained numerous successes over the last 51 years. Birth rates declined from 6.4 in 1960 to 1.99 in 2012. Population growth rate fell to 1.04% and life-span rose to 73 years.

2012 is the fourth consecutive year Viet Nam met the goal of reducing 0.1 per thousandths on birth rates.

However, gender imbalance at birth is ringing an alarm to the country when the rate increased from 110 boys to 100 girls in 2006 to 112.3 boys to 100 girls in 2012.  

Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Viet Tien cited the fact in many provinces and cities, where gender imbalance rate was over 130 boys to 100 girls.

Viet Nam’s population is currently in a golden stage, meaning a good opportunity for national development.

In 2013, the MoH will focus on reducing gender imbalance in 43 provinces and cities by strengthening dissemination to eliminate the conception of preferring boys to girls and control the selection of pre-birth gender./.

By Kim Loan