CIRCULAR No.01/2000/TT-UB OF FEBRUARY 23, 2000 GUIDING THE 2000 PLAN FOR POPULATION AND FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAM

In order to uniformly and simultaneously carry out the program activities and mobilize to the utmost the efforts of the entire society for achieving the substitute birth rate by 2005 at the latest, 10 years before the deadline set in the resolution of the fourth Party plenum; Pursuant to Decisions No.531/TTg of August 8, 1996 and No.05/1998/QD-TTg of January 14, 1998 of the Prime Minister on management of the national target programs and Decision No.240/1999/QD-TTg of December 29, 1999 of the Prime Minister, Decision No.123/1999/QD-BKH of December 29, 1999 of the Minister of Planning and Investment, Decision No.90/1999/QD-BTC of December 29, 1999 of the Minister of Finance on the assignment of plan targets and 2000 State budget estimates, the National Committee for Population and Family Planning hereby guides the plan for the population and family planning program as follows:

Part One

PLAN TARGETS AND 2000 BUDGET ESTIMATES

I. PLAN TARGETS

1. Reducing the birth rate.

To strive to achieve and surpass the norm of the State plan approved by the National Assembly, in which the average national birth rate reduces by 0.5%o. To achieve the national target, the Prime Minister has authorized the Minister of Planning and Investment to assign the birth rate reduction target to each locality in the above-mentioned decision.

The natural population growth rate, the rate of third or more childbirth and the reduction of the third or more childbirth rate are important guiding targets, serving as bases for accurate evaluation of efforts and achievements of each locality.

2. The number of new users of contraceptive methods

The number of new users of contraceptive methods is the guiding norm aimed to encourage localities to strive to achieve it and take initiative in balancing means, human resources and allocated fund. The new users of contraceptive measures include persons who are supplied contraceptive devices free of charge and persons who buy contraceptive devices or pay the family planning service charges by themselves.

3. The percentage and number of modern contraceptive method users

To strive to increase the percentage and number of modern contraceptive method users, which shall serve as basis of confidence in achieving the birth rate reduction objective. In order to increase the percentage and number of modern contraceptive method users in a sustainable manner, the increase of the number of new users of contraceptive methods shall be coupled with the maintenance of the number of continued users of contraceptive methods and the drop-out rate reduction to the lowest level.

To achieve the above objectives, the quality of the program activities should be raised, including the switch from the method of approach to that of consultancy and dialogue in the propagation and mobilization work; the family planning services must be ensured with safety and conveniene in order to meet the demand of the contraceptive method users; the rate of complications and failure shall be reduced; the modern contraceptive method users shall be managed in order to help and advise them directly (managing the subjects according to Decision No.138/UB/QD, Official Dispatch No.280/1998/UB-KHCS of April 21, 1998 and Official Dispatch No.752-UB/KHCS of October 13, 1999 of the National Committee for Population and Family Planning, guiding the regime of preliminary recording and statistical reporting on population and family planning).

4. Obligatory targets

Apart from targets which directly affect the birth rate reduction objectives guided above, the National Committee for Population and Family Planning provides guidance on obligatory targets regarding the work volume to be done for the program activities and the work volume to be done in capital construction.

5. Other norms

In order to achieve the quality targets, for the immediate future to apply synchronous measures in order to reduce the rate of abortion, particularly for minors; to reduce the infertility rate; to reduce the gynecological patient percentage and reduce the rate of physically and mentally handicapped population to the lowest level. To achieve the above targets, it is necessary to gather adequate and accurate information; monitor, guide and advise highly vulnerable subjects and help them apply technical measures.

For the population and family planning targets, the district/commune/ward administrative units shall serve as basis for calculation of activity expenses of localities.

6. Target management mechanism.

The targets on birth rate reduction, natural population growth rate, the third or more childbirth rate and the reduction thereof, the number of new users of contraceptive methods and the percentage and number of modern contraceptive method users are the minimum guiding targets serving as basis for evaluation of the achievement and emulation; the obligatory targets constitute factors guaranteeing the carrying out of program activities. Localities take initiative in elaboration of targets at higher levels and in administering them suitably to the practical situation during the course of implementation.

As 2000 is the first year to realize the targets on reduction of abortion rate, infertility rate, the gynaelogical rate and of the physically and mentally handicapped population, the National Committee for Population and Family Planning has yet guided the volumes of such targets. Localities should gather accurate data on absolute figures and elaborate projected targets and report them to the National Committee for Population and Family Planning for use as basis for evaluation of the achievements and emulation.

II. 2000 BUDGET ESTIMATES

The investment capital for the population-family planning program is formed from the sources:

1. The State budget capital (divided into central budget and local budget; domestic capital, foreign loan capital and aid; development investment capital and public-service capital);

2. Domestic credit capital;

3. Capital mobilized from organizations and individuals; and

4. Other revenues as prescribed by the State.

The above-said capital sources shall be managed and used according to the State Budget Law and the documents guiding the implementation thereof.

1. The central budget

In 2000, the central budget invested in the national target program on population and family planning represents 410,000 million VND, including the following capital sources and management forms:

Calculation unit: Million VND

1.1. Loan capital

Capital borrowed from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank as public-service capital shall be 130 billion VND for the implementation of project contents under separate guidance by the Board of Management of the Population and Family Health Project. Besides, the loan capital from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank shall also include the development investment capital, which is 70 billion VND assigned by the Government as the capital construction funding source to the National Committee for Population and Family Planning for investment in the construction of health establishments in 20 provinces covered by the Population and Family Health Project.

1.2. Aid capital

The bilateral and multilateral aid capital from international organizations, various governments and non-governmental organizations shall be 25 billion VND for carrying out project activities according to specific tempo (aid projects directly managed by the National Committee for Population and Family Planning do not include aid projects of the ministries, branches, central mass organizations and localities concerning the field of population and family planning). Aid projects supply such things to localities as: contraceptive devices (condoms, IUD, contraceptive injections, implants, pills); essential drugs and communication documents.

1.3. Domestic capital

The domestic capital invested by the Central Government in the population-family planning program is 255 billions VND, including 30 billion VND of development investment capital and 225 billions VND of public-service capital. The domestic capital can only ensure the minimum spending level for carrying out major and urgent activities of the program as guided in detail in section below.

2. Local budget

The local budget includes the following capital sources: The local fund, the aid capital and foreign loan capital for direct investment in the population- family planning program in localities. The local funds for additional investment in the achievement of objectives and the implementation of policies and regimes of localities as well as additional activities and work suitable to the social situation and geographical conditions of each locality shall be decided by the People?s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities with a view to successfully achieving the objectives of the 2000 plan.

3. Fund distribution and use principles

To publicly distribute the entire resources right from the beginning of the year and distribute almost all funds to localities where the major activities of the program take place shall be the basic principle of the population- family planning program in distribution of funds. The fund distribution shall be based on the objectives, plan norms and specific activities of the program as well as the policies and regimes ensured for the contingent of population personnel, the contraceptive device suppliers and users.

The funds of the population- family planning program shall be distributed to localities so that the provincial/municipal People?s Committees can decide the concrete fund amounts for the achievement of objectives, plan norms as well as for activities and ensuring policies and regimes for contingent of population personnel and the contraceptive device suppliers and users according to regulations of the central and local administration. The distribution, management and use of funds by local authorities must comply with the objectives and current financial regimes of the State.

The population- family program?s fund shall be allocated to ministries, branches, central-level mass organizations for organizing research, experimental, preliminary review and review activities, guidance of local agencies, branches and mass organizations; for the production of sample communication products; for directly carrying out activities and inspection of implementation by all levels (the ministries, branches and mass organizations at the central level shall not have to allocate funds to local agencies, branches and mass organizations).

The management and use of funding sources shall comply with the State Budget Law, the documents guiding the enforcement of the budget law, the current financial regimes and regulations on spending levels for a number of particular contents of the population-family planning program in Joint Circular No.67/1998/TTLT/BTC-UBQGDS of May 18, 1998 of the Ministry of Finance and the National Committee for Population and Family Planning. The allocation, settlement and supervision of the use of funds shall comply with the liability contract between the agency managing the program and the organization or unit conducting the program activities and with the time schedule for carrying out the activities stated in the signed liability contract.

Part Two

ORGANIZING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POPULATION- FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAM

I. RAISING THE MANAGEMENT CAPABILITY (VDS-01)

1. Sterilization policy

1.1. Feeding-up allowance regime

In order to compensate for the sterilization volunteers who have to take leave for sterilization and to improve their health for quick return to work, the regime of 100,000 VND- allowance for each sterilization volunteers shall continue to apply. Sterilization volunteers are persons who are in the fertility age bracket, have already got the desired number of children and volunteer to have sterilization.

1.2. Insurance for health care to sterilization volunteers

To care for the health of sterilized persons and timely handle complication (if any), the sterilized persons shall be provided with insurance cards for healthcare in 1 year right after the surgery. The provision of insurance cards for sterilized persons in 2000 shall be effected in the two following forms:

1. Continuing to buy the insurance cards from Bao Viet (Vietnam Insurance) and supply them to 55 provinces and cities;

2. Allocating funds for purchase of health insurance cards to 6 provinces and cities (Thai Nguyen, Hung Yen, Hai Phong, Quang Tri, Binh Phuoc and Soc Trang) at the level of 36,000 VND/person/year.

1.3. Organizing the sterilization

The sterilization fund shall include amounts of expense for:

1. Commune Population- Family Planning committees to make lists of persons registering the sterilization, rally subjects and prepare necessary conditions;

2. The transportation of sterilization volunteers from rallying places to sterilization centers or the transportation of mobile family-planning services teams to technical clusters for sterilization;

3. Payment to persons tending the sterilized persons in the surgical places or at home;

4. Payment to collaborators who manage the residence places of sterilized persons for post-sterilization supervision, guidance and assistance.

1.4. Complication allowances

Where sterilized persons get complications after the insurance period or IUD users get complications they shall be provided with fund for handling complications depending on each specific case in term of hospital fees, essential drugs, expenses for technical solutions, travel and difficulties (if any). On the basis of regular vouchers, localities shall make the payment and settle the complications allowance fund in the total funds already allocated to localities.

2. Encouragement policy

2.1. Incentives for communities

Communities are encouraged to respond to the campaign "Stopping at two children for better rearing and education". Communes and wards which recorded achievement in 1999 in lowering the rate of third or more childbirth, increasing the number of contraceptive method users, having the lowest rate of third or more childbirth for many consecutive years. The incentive level is 2 million VND/commune and the number of communes awarded is equal to the number of districts of each province; but it is not necessary that every district has a commune awarded if such commune has no achievements more outstanding than other communes in other districts. The incentive fund is reserved to support public facilities in service of the communities.

2.2. Incentives for collectives and individuals

Collectives and individuals are encouraged to actively participate in the population- family planning activities. To timely encourage collectives and individuals that have recorded achievements in the population- family planning activities, an average fund of 1 million VND/district shall be allocated from the central fund, which shall be used together with the local reward funds to reward collectives and individuals with achievements in the population-family planning activities in the provinces and cities.

3. Management of the commune/ward-level population- family planning programs

To strengthen the commune/ward population committees in term of their organizational apparatus, operation modes, while raising the professional qualification of population officials in communes and wards, regarding the population and development contents, management level, propaganda skills so as to make the population activities more efficient. The fund for management of commune/ward level population- family planning programs shall be used as follows:

3.1. Remunerations for commune/ward full-time population and family planning officials

The monthly remuneration for commune/ward full-time population- family planning official in order to help them well perform their functions and tasks have been prescribed in Circular No.37/UB/KHCS of January 28, 1993 of the National Committee for Population and Family Planning. Such full-time officials shall be selected by the commune Population-Family Planning Committees according to the prescribed functions, tasks and criteria and the district Population- Family Planning Committees shall evaluate their capabilities and criteria before signing contracts with them. Due to variance in specific regulations of each locality and the living standards between localities, the monthly remuneration levels for the full-time officials shall apply as follows:

+ For localities where the full-time officials are listed as a professional title of the commune under the Government?s Decree No.09/1998/ND-CP of January 23, 1998, the fund shall be supplemented in order to ensure that the full-time officials? remuneration levels correspond to those of other branches in the commune.

+ For localities where the full-time officials are State employees, who have been salaried and the funds allocated by the central authorities are not used as payment but only as part of remuneration to the full-time personnel, the remainder of the funds shall be used to increase the remuneration level for collaborators or the operation fund of the commune Population Committees.

+ For localities where the model "population- family health personnel" of the Population- Family Planning project is experimented, who have enjoyed remunerations, and where the funds allocated by the central authorities are not used as payment to the full-time personnel or the collaborators selected as the "population- family planning personnel" and do not cover the expenses for operations of the commune Population Committees, such funds shall be used to step up the program activities under the decisions of the provincial authorities.

+ For personnel who are nominally full-time officials but actually part-time officials and have already enjoyed salaries or remunerations of other branches (health, education, women?s organization, youth organization...), the reasonable remuneration levels shall be prescribed, depending on the quality and efficiency of their work performance, in order to mobilize the active participation of the contingent of grassroots officials.

3.2. Support for population- family planning collaborators

To render support for those who voluntarily and enthusiastically work as population- family planning collaborators to participate in the propagation, mobilization, consultancy, distribution of non-clinical contraceptive devices and management of family planning practicers, to well observe the regime of information and statistical reporting on population and family planning. The number of collaborators for each commune depends on its population size and geographical characters. In order to expand the integration of the population- family planning work, officials from other branches (who meet the prescribed criteria) may be arranged for their participation as collaborators so as, on the one hand, to create the sustainability of the community-based programs and, on the other hand, increase income for the collaborators.

3.3. Operation of the commune/ward Population Committees

The commune Population Committees shall be provided with monthly briefing fund for exchange of experiences in work, reporting on birth and death data and the number of contraception practicers, review of work performance in the month and work to be done in the following month, procurement of stationary in service of activities and recording of information, forms of reports by communes and collaborators.

4. Professional training, fostering and improvement

4.1. Basic population training courses

Trainees shall include population officials of the provincial and district levels, of central committees and branches, who shall study in three-month refresher courses at Hanoi National Economics University and Ho Chi Minh City Economics University. The training fund shall be provided by the National Committee for Population and Family Planning while the expenses for travel from the trainees? working places to the training places and vice versa shall be paid by the agencies which send the trainees to the courses.

4.2. Professional training and fostering

Trainees shall include commune and district full-time population personnel, leading officials of the district Population- Family Planning Committees. The average training duration for such subjects shall be three days and the average training fund for such a subject is 230,000 VND. The professional training shall cover such contents as statistics, planning, accountancy, supervision, evaluation, family planning service management and communications skills, which shall be integrated into the specific training program set by the provincial Population-Family Planning Committees under the guidance of the National Committee for Population and Family Planning.

The National Committee for Population and Family Planning organizes professional training and fostering for full-time personnel of provinces and cities on statistics, planning, accountancy, supervision, evaluation, family planning service management and communication skills as well as the population development contents. The training contents cover specialized intensive and new matters as well as the management mechanism. The expenses for the trainees? meals, accommodation and travel from their working places to the training places and vice versa shall be covered by the agencies which send them for training.

5. Investigation, survey, supervision, evaluation

5.1. Supervision and evaluation

Inter-branch supervision and evaluation of current activities shall be conducted regularly from the central to local level so as to right in time the errors with a view to achieving the set objectives. The fund amounts shall be allocated to provinces and cities according to annual plans as follows:

In order to evaluate the results, efficiency and impacts of activities on the program objectives and evaluate the implementation of the State?s undertakings and policies on population and family planning by various levels, which shall serve as basis for administration and management of the program, the objectives of the annual evaluation shall comply with the guidance of the National Committee for Population and Family Planning.

5.2. Investigation, survey, research

In order to serve the management of the population- family planning program nationwide with efficiency and high quality, the research units and localities shall register their demands for investigation, survey and research with the Research, Information and Population Data Center of the National Committee for Population and Family Planning.

For 2000, a fund of 1.3 billion VND has already been allocated to the General Department of Statistics in order to conduct investigation for sample selection of population-family planning norms and adjust annual data according to the results of the April 1, 1999 general census. The provincial/ municipal Population and Family Planning Committees shall coordinate with the local Statistical Departments in the implementation in order to gather information and figures for the evaluation of the program?s results in the localities.

5.3. Contents of expenses for investigation, survey, evaluation.

The fund for management information shall cover: the printing of family household books, the printing of statistical report forms under Decision No. 138/UB-QD, documents, cards, management books (voluntary sterilization cards, contraceptive device using cards...) and the payment to the population collaborators for gathering and making monthly, quarterly statistical reports on population and family planning.

6.2. The work of investigation and inspection

The work of investigation and inspection of cases, matters and activities related to the population- family planning activities at all levels shall be intensified, particularly the investigation and inspection of the use of resources (expense for this work has already been included in the administrative funds of all levels).

II. RAISING THE EFFICIENCY OF THE FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES (VDS-02)

1. Contraceptive devices

1.1. Intra-uterus device (IUD)

The clinical test of the intra-uterus device TCu 380A of India was preliminary reviewed in the mid-term report; yet, as the import of intra-uterus devices takes time, the TCu 380A intra-uterus devices may run short in the early months of 2000. Localities should take initiative in regulating IUDs of various types and among services-providing units; in case of shortage of IUDs, such should be reported to the National Committee for Population and Family Planning for study and handling.

1.2. Condoms supplied free of charge:

The percentages of free-of- charge supply of condoms from the central budget are 40% for northern mountain provinces and Central Highlands; 30% for northern and coastal Central Vietnam; 20% for eastern South Vietnam and the Mekong River delta. The recipients of condoms free of charge are people of ethnic minorities in mountain provinces, Khmer ethnic minority, poor deep-lying and remote communes, that have registered the use thereof for contraception. In 2000, the National Committee for Population and Family Planning shall use aid capital and other sources of fund for the purchase of condoms and supply them to provinces under the UNFPA, JICA projects (Nghe An) and a number of difficult localities (planned to notify separately). Other localities shall be given funds to buy condoms and supply them to the above-mentioned subjects.

1.3. Social marketing condoms

The social marketing condoms shall be sold to 100% of the subjects who who have demand for use of contraceptive methods and other demands through the population- family planning system and trade networks of the provinces and cities. Units performing the social marketing of condoms are DKT organization, the project for social marketing of contraceptive devices and Project VIE/97/P16 of the National Committee for Population and Family Planning. The mode of supply to agents and retailers shall comply with separate guidance of the social marketing projects.

1.4. Free-of- charge contraceptive pills

2.1. Contraceptive methods.

In 2000, the above-mentioned prescribed fund level for essential drugs and technical expenses shall continue to apply until the issuance of joint guidance by the Ministry of Health, the National Committee for Population and Family Planning and the Ministry of Finance because: On November 24, 1999, the Ministry of Health issued Decision No.3785/1999/QD-BYT promulgating the prescribed fund level for essential drugs and instant materials for prevention of and combat against infection in family planning operations, but the 2000 budget estimate of the national target program on population and family planning was made in August 1999 and has already been allocated according to plan, and the budget estimate according to the prescribed fund level could only be enough for essential drugs, instant materials, technical and management expenses under Official Dispatch 4379/YT-BMTE of July 2, 1998 of the Ministry of Health.

The National Committee for Population and Family Planning sent its Official Dispatch No.10/UB-KHCS of January 6, 2000 requesting the Ministry of Health to guide medical establishments to continue applying the prescribed fund level for essential drugs, instant materials and technical and management expenses as guided in Official Dispatch No.4379/YT-BMTE till the Government supplements fund to make up for the deficit according to the new prescribed levels specified in Decision No.3789/1999/QD-BYT after consulting the Ministry of Finance.

The prescribed fund level for essential drugs, instant materials, technical expenses and management shall apply to subjects that have registered the use of contraceptive methods in all provinces and cities. Particularly for 8 provinces under the UNFPA program, cycle V shall use essential drugs and instant materials of the aid project, and the domestic fund shall be added only with technical and management expenses (including expenses for electricity, petrol and oil for drying tools, soaps, instant materials, fabrics...) according to the above prescribed level.

Apart from technical and management expenses as prescribed in Official Dispatch No.4379/YT-BMTE, the National Committee for Population and Family Planning supplements a number of expenses for each contraceptive method as follows:

1. Sterilized males shall be additionally given 20 condoms, entitled to have their wives examined for early pregnancy, and expenses for collaborators and medical workers who provide post-sterilization monitoring and consultancy shall be covered;

2. Sterilized males shall get paid for their early pregnancy diagnosis and the expenses for pre- and post-sterilization monitoring and consultancy by collaborators and medical workers shall be covered;

3. Placing uterus devices shall get paid for pre- and post-placement monitoring and consultancy by collaborators and medical workers;

4. Contraceptive injection and implants shall get paid for the technical expenses for examination, injection, implant, and for pre- and post-injection/implant monitoring and consultancy by collaborators and medical workers.

2.2. Abortion, fetus sucking-out

Subjects volunteered to have their fetuses aborted or sucked out early shall be provided free of charge with essential drugs and services provided that they get pregnant while using clinical contraceptive methods (placing devices in uterus, sterilization, contraceptive injections and implants) and have family planning cards; people of ethnic minorities in mountain provinces and districts, people of Khmer stock and Catholic people shall have their abortion or fetus sucking-out at family planning services establishments run by the State.

Grounds for fund settlement shall be the list of persons having abortion and fetus sucking-out, made according to set form, enclosed with a sheet of family planning cards (placing uterus devices, sterilization, contraceptive injections and implants) to certify that the failure has been caused by the use of such contraceptive methods. If subjects are ethnic minority people or Catholic people, the list should clearly inscribe their full names, ethnicity and native places.

2.3. Allowances for family- planning surgery or minor-operations

The allowances for family planning surgery and minor operations shall comply with Inter-ministerial Circular No.01/TT-LB of January 24, 1992 of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalid and Social Affairs on the regime of surgery allowances for medical workers and the regulation on classification of family planning minor operations, and the Prime Minister?s Decision No.794/TTg of December 5,1995 stipulating a number of particular allowance regime for medical officials and employees.

Calculation unit: VND

Localities which have been allocated funds from the sources of expenditure for the local health services shall not use the fund of the population- family planning program.

2.4. Gynecological treatment

For the sake of the clinical contraceptive method users and to contribute to the protection of mothers? health, particularly for groups of special subjects to contribute to natal healthcare for poor people in poor, deep-lying, remote communes, in 2000, the central budget shall provide support the treatment of common gynaetological diseases for women who have registered the IUD placement, sterilization, contraceptive injections or implants in various communication campaigns integrated with the family planning services in localities. The average calculation level is 8,000 VND/case.

2.5. Early pregnancy diagnosis

The early pregnancy diagnosis shall apply to the following subjects: sterilized females, wives of sterilized males, persons who have contraceptive devices placed in uterus, who have their fetus sucked out early, persons using clinical contraceptive methods, ethnic minority people in mountain provinces and districts, people of Khmer origin, Catholic people who doubt to have got pregnant and wish to have their fetuses sucked out early.

Expenses for early pregnancy diagnosis shall include fund for purchase of pregnancy testing sticks and service charges calculated according to contraceptive methods and early fetus sucking out. Where subjects are users of clinical contraceptive methods, ethnic minority people in mountain provinces and districts, people of Khmer origin, Catholic people who doubt to have got pregnant, who come to have their fetuses sucked out and early pregnancy diagnosis and get negative conclusions, separate lists shall be made for final settlement.

3. Family- planning service equipment

The family-planning service equipment shall be supplied by the aid projects and capital-borrowing projects while the domestic fund shall only invest in the provinces not covered by such projects. The list of categories and quantity of each type of equipment and tools shall comply with the uniform guidance of the Ministry of Health and the National Committee for Population and Family Planning.

4. Training in family planning services

4.1. Contraceptive pills inventory table

For communes where collaborators are assigned to supply contraceptive pills, training in contraceptive pills inventory table should be given to collaborators who have been neither trained therein nor got the certificates thereof, so as to ensure that 100% collaborators can participate in the supply of contraceptive pills. For communes where only medical workers undertake the supply, such training shall not be organized for collaborators, and the provincial Population and Family Planning Committees shall coordinate with the provincial Health Service in quickly assigning the collaborators the tasks of contraceptive pills supply. The training duration is 5 days and the prescribed average fund level for a collaborator is 120,000 VND.

4.2. Contraceptive injection and implant techniques

In order to effect the contraceptive injections and implants in rural and urban districts of 21 provinces and the provinces to be covered, the Population and Family Planning Committees of provinces shall coordinate with the health services and aid projects in organizing training courses on techniques, consultancy and propagation as well as mobilization for the use of contraceptive injections and implants. The training contents and subjects for each district shall comply with the guidance of enlarged projects on the use of contraceptive injections and implants.

4.3. Practicing the techniques of placing contraceptive devices, abortion and early fetus sucking out

The subjects includes assistant doctors, doctors and midwives of the establishments which have been equipped with technical rooms as well as family planning service equipment and tools or shall have their technical rooms upgraded and renovated. The training time shall be 4 to 6 weeks for both theoretical study and practice and the prescribed average fund level shall be 750,000 VND/person.

4.4. Practice of male and female sterilization

The subjects shall be doctors of the districts which have not yet got two surgeons to perform this technique. The training time shall be 6 to 8 weeks for both theoretical study and practice and the prescribed average fund level shall be 2 million VND/person.

For the above-mentioned practicing courses, depending on concrete conditions of each locality, the provincial Population- Family Planning Committees shall coordinate with the provincial Health Services in selecting the training establishments. After each course, examination must be organized and certificates shall be granted to trainees who satisfy the requirements and are allowed to perform the service techniques they have been trained in. The contents and materials on family planning techniques shall comply with the guidance of the Health Service, including the content of contraceptive method consultancy.

5. Other expenses

Other expenses including expense for reception, transportation and preservation of contraceptive devices, family planning equipment and tools, and expense for social marketing activities shall comply with guidance and the current regulations. The provinces should strictly abide by the regime of reporting and storing such devices enough to satisfy their respective contraception requirements for three months. Those provinces which run out of contraceptive devices before reporting such then request the urgent supply thereof shall have to pay the freight for such urgent supply to the central storehouse.

III. RAISING THE EFFICIENCY OF PROPAGANDA AND EDUCATION (VDS-03)

1. Regular communication activities in provinces, districts and communes

The prescribed fund level for regular communication activities in various localities according to their respective population size and geographical conditions shall be as follows:

The regular communication activities in provinces, districts and communes shall include meeting in honor of the world population day and Vietnam population day; talks on specialized subjects to a group of audiences; organizing radio and television broadcasting, public-addressing; organizing film shows, video screenings and art performance; support for club activities, making slogans, repairing panel, posters; writing articles and news reports and buying information materials.

The prescribed fund levels for the above-mentioned localities shall include fund for communication activities of the population agencies, committees, mass organizations and mass media agencies. In order to raise the effect and quality of papers, magazines, radio stations, television stations, public addressing systems for the population-family planning work, the central budget shall render support for production of programs, payment of royalties to editors and announcers, and rewards to collectives and individuals that have good products for the population- family planning programs.

Fund is allocated to agencies, branches and mass organizations in the provinces and districts for the performance of the following tasks:

1. Communications activities experimented on each particular group of subjects;

2. Preliminary review, review, guidance, inspection and supervision of local and grassroots agencies and organizations;

3. Activities and tasks directly related to population and development within agencies and mass organizations in localities. (Provincial and district agencies and mass organizations shall not allocate fund to agencies and mass organizations at lower levels).

2. Intensifying communication activities in difficult localities

Localities meeting with difficulties in the population- family planning work are localities with high birth rate, high mountain and island regions, low-lying, deep-lying and far-flung areas, regions inhabited by ethnic minority people, by people of Khmer origin or Catholic people, coastal regions, regions with low living standards and populated communes of over 20,000 people or more.

In addition to the prescribed fund level for regular communication activities mentioned at Point 1, an average additional fund shall be allocated to each commune meeting with difficulties as follows:

Communication activities to be intensified in difficult localities shall include:

1. The communication campain integrated with the family planning services: Expenses for organizing the communication campaign shall cover surveys for inquiry into subjects, plan elaboration, campaign realization, decoration and means hiring, payment of allowances to participants, review of campaign. The prescribed fund level for a communication campaign shall be 3 millions VND for a high-mountain, island commune and 2.5 million VND for a low-/deep-lying or far-flung communes.

2. Mobile propagation to spread the campaign widely;

3. Seminars, talks, symposiums for each group of subjects;

4. Organizing competitions;

5. Increasing communications products;

6. Disseminating models of integrating the population issue with development in poor communes covered by approved projects. Expenses for the above activities shall comply with the guided items and current financial regimes. Particularly for high-mountain, island, low-lying, deep-lying communes and those with 20,000 inhabitants or more, the local administration may provide financial support for commune collaborators and full-time personnel who have to perform a larger volume of work and meet with difficulties in travel to and fro.

3. Production and duplication of communi-cation products

The sample communication products shall be produced by central and local agencies and branches on the order of the National Committee for Population and Family Planning. These products, after being selected, shall be assigned to localities for duplication, with 6 audio-tapes and 4 video tapes to each province and each district, and 6 audio tapes to each commune annually. Fund for duplication of communication products and other communication products shall be included in the loan capital source of the project "Population and Family Health".

The "Gia Dinh and Xa Hoi" (Family and Society) newspaper is a communication product, which, in 2000, the National Committee for Population and Family Planning shall continue to subscribe for (including 22% distribution charge) to supply them to localities, ensuring that each provincial/district/commune/ward Population- Family Planning Committee and each border post shall have one copy of the paper; particularly for low-lying, deep-lying, high-mountain and island communes, an additional copy shall be distributed to the head of the commune Population Committee. Localities shall use information on the paper for propagation and mobilization and at the same time send articles and new reports reflecting the situation and models of the population activities to and make comments on, the "Gia Dinh va Xa Hoi" newspaper.

Apart from the above-said volume, localities may use the fund for communication products production and duplication to subscribe for the "Gia Dinh va Xa Hoi" newspaper for distribution to units and organizations participating in propagation and mobilization.

4. Communication equipment and consultancy

Necessary equipment which have been supplied to communication units since 1993 and damaged should be replaced and supplemented. It is expected that in 2000, a number of poor communes, deep-lying communes, remote communes, mountain or island communes shall be provided each with a radio-cassette and a hand-held speaker through the support from the loan capital source of the population-family planning project; the Population and Family Health project shall provide concrete guidance thereon.

In order to create favorable conditions for intensive communications and consultancy, in 2000, equipment on childbirth heath consultancy shall be experimentally provided for 4 establishments which have been formulated in Hanoi, Da Nang city, Binh Duong and Ho Chi Minh City.

IV. ADMINISTRATIVE FUND FOR PROVINCIAL/ DISTRICT POPULATION- FAMILY PLANNING APPARATUS

The administrative fund for the provincial/district apparatus involved in the population- family planning work shall be taken from the public-service fund of the program. The National Committee for Population and Family Planning shall allocate the administrative fund according to the number of full-time officials and the prescribed administrative fund level shall be calculated averagely for the whole year for each official and employee, including those on the payroll and contractual employee (according to the level prescribed by the Finance Ministry for all branches and all levels nationwide, with distinction between geographical areas: delta, midland and mountain.

Calculation unit: Million VND/person

The prescribed administrative fund level shall cover wage and wage allowances, insurance, travel allowances, procurement of working equipment and facilities, minor repair and construction of auxiliary projects. The above-mentioned level does not include the wage fund increase due to the raising of the minimum wage from 144,000 dong/month to 180,000 dong/month.

Where such prescribed level is otherwise provided for by localities, the provincial Population - Family Planning Committees shall make reports, requesting the supplement to the local budgets in order to ensure the management activities of the provincial/district Population- Family Planning Committees

V. INVESTMENT CAPITAL FOR CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION

The investment capital for capital construction in 2000 shall include two sources: The loan capital from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank assigned by the Government as capital source for concentrated capital construction shall be 70 billion dong and the domestic budget capital assigned under the national target program shall be 30 billion dong. The domestic fund for capital construction shall be allocated to three types of projects:

1. Reciprocal capital of the population and family health project;

2. Projects on provincial Population- Family Planning centers,

3. Project on upgrading and renovation of Population-Family Planning services and communications chambers. These projects shall be managed under Decree No.52/1999/ND-CP of the Government, promulgating the Investment and Construction Management Regulation.

1. The Population and Family Health project

The Population and Family Health project shall use capital from two sources (the loan capital of 70 billion dong and the domestic reciprocal capital of 4.4 billion dong) to upgrade provincial Centers for Mother and Child Protection- Family Planning, the provincial population centers, obstetric departments and operating theatres of district hospitals, commune health stations, hamlet medical houses of 20 provinces and cities. In 2000, the upgrading of medical infrastructure shall be basically completed; localities shall supervise the construction techniques, ensuring the construction quality; establishments damaged and ravaged by floods in Thua Thien-Hue province should be quickly repaired in order to complete the upgrading of medical establishments by the end of 2000.

2. The project on provincial Population- Family Planning Centers

The project on Population- Family Planning centers may use domestic capital for new construction or upgrading, renovation of existing establishments in order to satisfy three basic functions of the provincial Population- Family Planning Centers: (1) Direct propagation and mobilization; (2) Training, fostering, seminars; (3) Management and administration of program.

In 2000, investment capital shall be concentrated for incomplete centers so as to complete their construction and put them to use right from the beginning of the year. For centers with projects thereon, the construction designs and the total cost estimates being approved by competent authorities and included in the 2000 plan, bidding procedures should be carried out soon so as to start the construction thereof. The provincial/municipal People?s Committees shall function as investors and settle all issues related to construction investment, final settlement of investment capital for completed projects.

3. The project for upgrading and renovation of Population- Family Planning Service and Communications chambers

The project for upgrading and renovation of Population-Family Planning Service and Communications chambers may use domestic capital for investment in localities other than the provinces covered by the population- family health project and the national project for medical support. To well realize this project, various capital sources (capital of the population agency, capital of the health service, capital of communes, capital contributed by people?) should be combined in order to upgrade and renovate the commune health stations according to the model designed by the Health Ministry for each territorial region. On the basis of the allocated fund, localities should focus on incomplete project elements so as to complete the construction thereof and put them to use and settle the investment capital for capital construction in time, not spreading evenly to new project elements which will scatter capital sources and fail to help make the timely final settlement of account.

Above are plan guidance and direction for implementation of the 2000 Population- Family Planning program, which were approved by all members of the National Committee for Population and Family Planning on January 19,2000. If any difficulties and problems arise in the course of implementation, the provincial/municipal Population- Family Planning Committees shall report them to the National Committee for Population and Family Planning for timely settlement.

Minister-Director of the National Committee for Population and Family Planning
Dr. TRAN THI TRUNG CHIEN