During the 3rd session (special session) of the 10th People's Council of Ho Chi Minh City (2021-2026 term) held on the afternoon of August 28, a resolution was passed to reward and support individuals and organizations that effectively implement population policies in the city.

Under the newly approved policy, women giving birth to two children before age 35 will receive a one-time support of 5 million VND (USD 210), up from the previous 3 million VND (USD 125).

In addition, the city will provide financial support to pregnant women and newborns from poor or near-poor households, those under social protection, and residents of Thanh An island commune and Con Dao district. Each eligible case will receive 2 million VND (USD 84), which includes prenatal screening (600,000 VND), newborn screening (400,000 VND), and a one-time cash grant of 1 million VND.

For collective achievements, communes that maintain or exceed a 60% rate of couples of reproductive age having two children for three consecutive years will be nominated for a Certificate of Merit from the Chairman of the City People's Committee and receive 30 million VND (USD 1,260). Communes maintaining this rate for five consecutive years will be eligible for a 60 million VND (USD 2,520) reward along with a similar certificate.

According to the HCMC People's Committee, increasing the individual incentive to 5 million VND is a necessary move, aligned with current conditions. It is expected to encourage women to give birth during their most favorable reproductive years, helping to reduce health risks and improve population quality.

The total annual budget for implementing this policy is estimated to be nearly 100 billion VND (around USD 4.2 million).

HCMC is among the localities with the lowest fertility rates in Vietnam. Before administrative restructuring, the total fertility rate was 1.39 children per woman. After restructuring, it rose slightly to 1.43 but remains well below the national replacement level of 2.0–2.1 children per woman.

PV