TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC Y TẾ CÔNG CỘNG

 HANOI UNIVERSITY OF PUBLIC HEALTH

The first national conference on sexual and reproductive health research

On the morning of December 12th 2012, in Hanoi, the First National Conference on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Research was organized by Hanoi School of Public Health in collaboration with Ministry of Health and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Delegates attending the conference were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Viet Tien, Vice - minister of Health; Dr. Duong Quoc Trong, General Director of General Office for Population and Family Planning (Ministry of Health); Dr. Nguyen Duy Khe, the Director of Maternal and Child Health (Ministry of Health); Ms Mandeep K. O'Brien, UNFPA Representative a.i. in Vietnam; Prof. Dr. Le Vu Anh, Dean of Hanoi School of Public Health; Dr. Gugao Wu, a representative for the World Health Organization in Vietnam and numerous scientists, experts, managers, policy makers from universities, hospitals, research institutes and agencies at the central and local levels in whole country, the  United Nation organizations in Vietnam, the domestic and international NGOs. 

 

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Viet Tien, Vice - minister of Health, delivering opening speech at the conference

Speaking at the conference, Vice - minister Nguyen Viet Tien said the next time the Ministry of Health would strengthen scientific research, disseminate and apply research results and science and technology advances to contribute in solving the problem for the population and reproductive health care such as maintaining reasonable low fertility, reducing the gender ratio disparity at birth, reducing maternal and child mortality, especially newborns, reducing abortion rate, strengthen health care for adolescents/youth, for the elderly and for particular ethnic groups (people with HIV, ethnic minorities).

Data from the Ministry of Health and other census showed that Vietnam has made significant progress in the integration of family planning into health services, and strengthen the health care services for mothers and newborns. However, some population groups, such as adolescents, young adults and those who are not married, migrants, ethnic minorities and the elderly still face many limitations in access to information and services of sexual and reproductive health care . Because of this, number of unwanted pregnancies have increased significantly, leading to a high abortion rate, especially among the youth and unmarried groups.

 

Executive Chairman of the General Conference Session

In addition, many cases of maternal mortality still occur in the ethnic minorities and  disadvantaged regions, and sexually transmitted infections (including HIV) continues to be an obstacle. This suggests that we need more effort to be able to solve these challenges.

At the conference, there were 32 reports divided into 7 main themes, which are priority areas of reproductive health such as family planning - infertility, safe motherhood and newborn care, reproductive / sexual health of adolescents and youth, reproductive health in vulnerable (people with HIV) and genital cancer groups.

Presentations at the conference showed the panorama of research in the field of reproductive / sexual health carried out in Vietnam in the 2006-2010 period, the reality and challenges for the RHC in Vietnam, orientation of implementing of population - reproductive health strategy in Vietnam  in the 2011 – 2020 period. The conference also heard presentations by international experts on issues of reproductive / sexual health in Asia - Pacific region and directions for future research .

 

Participants watching Posters exhibited in the Conference

In her opening speech at the conference,  Ms Mandeep K. O'Brien - UNFPA Representative a.i. in Vietnam emphasized that Vietnam has entered the period of golden population structure with the largest number of young people in the history to date. Therefore, there should be more research on reproductive / sexual health  of youth to be able to provide accurate evidence to help building programs and policies to meet the real needs of reproductive / sexual of youth. Ms. O'Brien also added that research plays a crucial role in determining the urgent issues, such as the problem of gender imbalance at birth, the qualitative  and quantitative researchs helped to orient building the appropriate interventions to address this problem.

Conference results will be used for the direction of coming researchs on the field of reproductive health and sexual health in Vietnam, contributing to achieve universal access to reproductive / sexual health care in 2015.

Also at the meeting, the Ministry of Health, Hanoi School of Public Health and UNFPA Vietnam committed to continuing to work closely so that ensure the success and sustainability of reproductive / sexual health care system in Vietnam in the coming time. 

(BT)