Vietnam’s birth rate in 2009 has fallen to just 1.2 percent, achieving the target set by the National Assembly, the General Office For Population Family Planning said on December 20.
General Office head Dr. Duong Quoc Trong said it is the biggest success rate of population planning achieved in the last 10 years.
In 2000, the rate was 1.36 percent.
In addition, infant deaths under one year of age fell from 36.7 percent in 2000 to just 15 percent this year.
The human development index (HDI) reached 0.73 points, which is higher than the target set in the population strategy for the phase 2001-2010.
However, the General Office said there is still much to be done in terms of enhancing the overall health of the population and controlling gender imbalances in newborn babies.
