UNFPA helps Vietnam improve reproductive health

An agreement to this effect has been signed between Nguyen Thien Truong, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Population, Family and Children, and Ian Howie, UNFPA Representative to Vietnam.

The donations will help ease the shortage of contraceptive devices and diversify modern contraceptive methods in Vietnam.

Mr Truong said that there are a large number of women of reprodutive age in Vietnam, which results in the high demand for contraceptive devices and the increasing rate of use of modern contraceptive methods. Young people account for o­ne-third of the country's population, and the use of condoms as an effective device protects them from  HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancies.

Vietnam now has a population of 83 million, including 26 million women of fertility age and the population is projected to reach 94 million by 2015.