Hanoi (VNA) – A workshopon benefits of contraception was held in Hanoi on September 26 in response toWorld Contraception Day to raise public awareness of contraception and preventunwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortion.

The event was co-hosted by the Ministryof Health’s General Office for Population and Family Planning and the VietnamWomen’s Union with more than 300 local and foreign delegates in attendance.

The workshop updated the participants onthe family planning situation and demand for contraceptive measures in Vietnam,the reality of abortion in the world and the country, benefits of contraceptionand communication campaigns to raise public awareness of the issue.

According the office, there are about24.2 million women of reproductive ages (aged 15 - 49) in Vietnam and thenumber is on the rise. It was estimated that about 77.6 percent of them used abirth control method last year and 66.8 percent of them used a modern measure.

Up to 250,000-300,000 abortion cases havebeen officially reported across the country each year.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Ministerof Health Nguyen Viet Tien highlighted the importance of safe contraception,especially to juveniles and.

Proactive contraception helps womenavoid unwanted pregnancies and prevent long-term negative health effects, forexample, pregnancy complications, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs),stillbirths, and birth defects, he said.

For every USD spent on family planningefforts, society can save 31 USD, the deputy minister added.

In 2017, the General Office forPopulation and Family Planning teamed up with the Vietnam Women’s Union toorganise a programme “La phu nu, toi chon song chu dong” (As a woman, I chooseto live an active life), including a series of seminars across 12 cities andprovinces, to provide knowledge on family planning and introduce differentmethods of birth control to women. The seminars were attended by over 1,200women.

An online contest and paintingcompetition are also underway to raise awareness of modern contraceptives amongteenagers and youths in an attempt to reduce abortion, unwanted pregnancies andimprove population quality.

The workshop also witnessed the launchingof a 3-year action programme on family planning for community health, aiming toprovide scientific information and updates on modern contraceptives, includingbirth control pills, to people of reproductive ages.-VNA