A report on the progress of the country’s implementation of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2008 released on June 2 noted that the maternal mortality ratio is expected to drop to 0.58 per thousand by 2015.

According to the report, thanks to the implementation of many projects and programmes relating to maternal health such as safe motherhood and the national strategy on reproductive health for 2001-2010, maternal health has improved to cut the death rate.

Research conducted by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that the ratio was 2.33 per thousand in 1990 and 1.60 per thousand in 1995 and fell by halve in 2005 to 0.80 per thousand.

The country is making a lot of efforts to further reduce the ratio to 60/100,000 (0.60 per thousand) by 2010 with a focus on disadvantaged and mountainous areas.

The report emphasised that Vietnam’s under-five mortality rate dropped to 25.9 per thousand in 2007.

If this progress is maintained, the country is sure to achieve the goal of reducing the mortality rate in children under five by two thirds during the 1990-2015 period from 58 per thousand to 19.3 per thousand, the report said.

One of the main reasons for such progress is a reduction in the malnourishment rate among children under fives. In 2007, the rate was 21.2 percent, down 2.2 percent compared to 2006.

However, the report also mentioned the challenges Vietnam is facing such as a big gap in the provision of using health services between the regions, the high cost of health services compared to poor people’s incomes and ineffective education campaigns, especially in remote and mountainous areas.

To achieve the set targets, from now until 2015, Vietnam will continue to promote reproductive health care, increase people’s access to reproductive health care services and methods of family planning and improve education on reproductive health.