Hanoi (VNA) – A meeting took place in Hanoi on July11 to mark World Population Day (July 11) under the theme of Vietnam’s 25 yearsimplementing the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development’Programme of Action.

Speaking at the event, National Assembly Vice Chairman UongChu Luu said as an UN member taking part in the conference, Vietnam has so farrealized all goals set in its Programme of Action.

Vietnam achieved the replacement level fertility at 2.1 childrenper woman in 2006, a decade ahead of the target, and has maintained the rate todate. The country has entered a period of golden population structure, while averagelife expectancy has increased continuously to reach 73.5.

The achievements have contributed significantly to Vietnam’srealization of UN millennium development goals and its overall socio-economicgrowth, particularly in alleviating poverty and raising people’s livingstandards, Luu stated.

He also pointed to a number of population challenges facingthe country, including uneven birth rate among localities, high risk of genderimbalance, and aging population, among others.

The official requested the Health Ministry and GeneralOffice for Population Family Planning strengthen their apparatus and personneland make recommendations to population policies and strategies.

UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Kamal Malhotra stated UNagencies in Vietnam are committed to assisting the country in ensuring its people’saccess to health care services, including reproductive and sexual health care.-VNA