Vietnam's Ministry of Health drafts reforms on civil service recruitment and child support

The Ministry of Health is seeking feedback on a draft circular that would decentralize recruitment, placement, promotion, transfer and termination authority for civil servants and staff within the ministry. Under the proposal, heads of departments, offices and agencies would set recruitment plans, convene recruitment councils, approve results and manage reassignments and dismissals, with authority levels varying according to the rank of the position being changed.

A second draft circular proposes a monthly support scheme for children from birth to 36 months. Provinces would be allowed to determine the amount and form of assistance – cash or in‑kind – to ease families’ financial burden and address Vietnam’s falling fertility rate, now about 1.91 children per woman. The plan also includes subsidies for preschool meals, rewards for families with two children, and targeted aid for low‑income households, aiming to encourage higher birth rates and improve population quality.