Ethnic minority children in Bat Xat district, the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Vietnam plans to reduce the rate of underweight and malnourishedchildren under five to less than 15 percent by 2030.
The target is set in a programmeon the protection and development of ethnic minorities for 2021-2030 which hasbeen approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
The plan prioritises ethnicminority people residing in 12 provinces, namely Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Tuyen Quang, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Kon Tum.
It aims to drastically reducematernal and child mortality rates as well as malnutrition among children underfive, contributing to improving the quality of the population and ensuringequal development among ethnic groups.
Vietnam is home to 52 minority groupswho make up 14 percent of its population of 96 million.
Child malnutrition remains amajor problem in the country, especially among ethnic minority communities inremote areas.
According to the NationalAssembly’s Councilfor Ethnic Affairs, the prevalenceof undernutrition among ethnic minorities mainly exists in the CentralHighlands, North Central region and northern mountainous region. Ethnicminority groups that have the highest rates are Chut, Bo Y, Ro Mam and Si La with 40, 35, 30 and 21.7 percent, respectively.
A World Bank report released inDecember last year found that nearly 1 in 3 ethnic minority children areaffected by stunting, more than twice as much as the Kinh majority; and 21 percentof ethnic minority children are underweight, a ratio 2.5 times higher than thatof their Kinh peers.
Stunting is linked to lowereconomic productivity, including a 10-percent reduction in lifetime earnings.When multiplied across an entire nation, poor nutrition can cost a nation up tothree percent of its GDP annually, it said.
According to the programme, by2025, the rate of underweight and malnourished children under five will bereduced to less than 20 percent.
The number of child marriagesand consanguineous marriage will be cut by 2-3 percent per year and more than35 percent of youths would receive pre-marital advice and health examinationsfor early detection of infectious diseases and HIV.
The rate of maternal mortalitywill decrease by 25 percent and mortality rate among children under one willfall by 2-5 percent.
At least 50 percent of pregnantmothers and newborns will be screened for the four most common congenitaldiseases.
By 2030, the number of childmarriages and consanguineous marriage is expected to be reduced by 3-5 percentper year, while more than 50 percent of youths will receive pre-marital adviceand health examination for early detection of infectious diseases and HIV.
At least 70 percent of pregnant mothers and newborns will be screened for thefive most common congenital diseases.
Nearly all ethnic minoritypeople aged between 15 and 60 can read and write. Up to 70 percent of workerswill receive appropriate training required for local development.
In November last year, theNational Assembly passed a resolution on the master plan on socio-economicdevelopment in ethnic minority-inhabited, mountainous and extremelydisadvantaged areas in the 2021-2030 period.
Under the master plan, by 2025,the income of the ethnic minority population would double that of 2020’s figurewhile the ratio of poor households would fall by 3 percent a year.
Infrastructure-wise, allschools, classrooms and medical stations are expected to be built or upgradedwith duration in mind, 100 percent of communes are expected to have cementroads leading to their centres, 99 percent of households have access to thenational power grid or other suitable power sources, 90 percent of theresidents have access to clean water and 100 percent of the population haveaccess to television and radio.
By 2030, average income percapita of ethnic minority people would account for half of the national one.The poverty rate will be cut to under 10 percent.
The plan also sets the targetsof having 40 percent of the ethnic minority population being capable or trainedin industrial jobs, tourism and service sectors, while 80 percent of ruralhouseholds are to be engaged in commercial agricultural production./.
The target is set in a programmeon the protection and development of ethnic minorities for 2021-2030 which hasbeen approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
The plan prioritises ethnicminority people residing in 12 provinces, namely Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Tuyen Quang, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Kon Tum.
It aims to drastically reducematernal and child mortality rates as well as malnutrition among children underfive, contributing to improving the quality of the population and ensuringequal development among ethnic groups.
Vietnam is home to 52 minority groupswho make up 14 percent of its population of 96 million.
Child malnutrition remains amajor problem in the country, especially among ethnic minority communities inremote areas.
According to the NationalAssembly’s Councilfor Ethnic Affairs, the prevalenceof undernutrition among ethnic minorities mainly exists in the CentralHighlands, North Central region and northern mountainous region. Ethnicminority groups that have the highest rates are Chut, Bo Y, Ro Mam and Si La with 40, 35, 30 and 21.7 percent, respectively.
A World Bank report released inDecember last year found that nearly 1 in 3 ethnic minority children areaffected by stunting, more than twice as much as the Kinh majority; and 21 percentof ethnic minority children are underweight, a ratio 2.5 times higher than thatof their Kinh peers.
Stunting is linked to lowereconomic productivity, including a 10-percent reduction in lifetime earnings.When multiplied across an entire nation, poor nutrition can cost a nation up tothree percent of its GDP annually, it said.
According to the programme, by2025, the rate of underweight and malnourished children under five will bereduced to less than 20 percent.
The number of child marriagesand consanguineous marriage will be cut by 2-3 percent per year and more than35 percent of youths would receive pre-marital advice and health examinationsfor early detection of infectious diseases and HIV.
The rate of maternal mortalitywill decrease by 25 percent and mortality rate among children under one willfall by 2-5 percent.
At least 50 percent of pregnantmothers and newborns will be screened for the four most common congenitaldiseases.
By 2030, the number of childmarriages and consanguineous marriage is expected to be reduced by 3-5 percentper year, while more than 50 percent of youths will receive pre-marital adviceand health examination for early detection of infectious diseases and HIV.
At least 70 percent of pregnant mothers and newborns will be screened for thefive most common congenital diseases.
Nearly all ethnic minoritypeople aged between 15 and 60 can read and write. Up to 70 percent of workerswill receive appropriate training required for local development.
In November last year, theNational Assembly passed a resolution on the master plan on socio-economicdevelopment in ethnic minority-inhabited, mountainous and extremelydisadvantaged areas in the 2021-2030 period.
Under the master plan, by 2025,the income of the ethnic minority population would double that of 2020’s figurewhile the ratio of poor households would fall by 3 percent a year.
Infrastructure-wise, allschools, classrooms and medical stations are expected to be built or upgradedwith duration in mind, 100 percent of communes are expected to have cementroads leading to their centres, 99 percent of households have access to thenational power grid or other suitable power sources, 90 percent of theresidents have access to clean water and 100 percent of the population haveaccess to television and radio.
By 2030, average income percapita of ethnic minority people would account for half of the national one.The poverty rate will be cut to under 10 percent.
The plan also sets the targetsof having 40 percent of the ethnic minority population being capable or trainedin industrial jobs, tourism and service sectors, while 80 percent of ruralhouseholds are to be engaged in commercial agricultural production./.
VNA
