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Ho Chi Minh City has transferred a bonus of 5 million dong per person to 1,310 mothers who gave birth to two children between September 1, 2025 and April 15, 2026. The policy applies across the city.
In addition, 7,650 other women received a 3 million dong bonus for having a second child during the period from late 2024 to August 2025.
The city government is providing financial incentives to encourage families to have more children. It said the birth rate, measured as the average number of children per woman of reproductive age, currently stands at 1.51. While this is slightly higher than 1.43 in 2024, the figure remains at a concerning level.
Beyond cash bonuses, the health sector will provide direct services from April 15, 2026 to May 30, 2026. These include pre-marital health checks, prenatal screening, and the creation of health records for the elderly across 168 communes, wards, and districts.
Pregnant women and elderly people, particularly those from disadvantaged households, can access services at their residence rather than traveling to higher-level hospitals.
The program is intended to help couples build health and financial foundations before deciding to have a child, ahead of the new Population Law taking effect on July 1, 2026.
Premium gym chains are entering a “golden era” that is ending or already in decline, as rising operating costs collide with shifting consumer preferences toward more flexible, community-based ways to exercise. Long-term memberships are shrinking, margins are pressured by higher rents and facility expenses, and competition from smaller, more personalized…
