Join hands to care for reproductive health of workers

Understanding this situation, following the success of the first and second phase of the project, VSF continues to play a key role in content development and program design, funding mobilization and coordinating of activities in the 3rd phase of the project “For the mother and baby - For Vietnamese stature”. The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor and the Trade Union of Industrial Zones of Vinh Phuc province are the coordinating units for implementation. TH Group, Da Huong women's hygiene solution brand, together with Newchoice contraceptive and OK condom brands are financial support units to implement this project. 

Mr. Le Van Tri, Vice Chairman of the Union of Industrial Zones in Vinh Phuc province, said that the issue of reproductive health care and family planning among workers and female workers was highly concerned, but the number of people who could access to information is very low. Most female workers are of reproductive age but have little access to reproductive health care packages. The most basic knowledge to help female workers better understand reproductive health such as safe motherhood, abortion reduction, prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, prevention of breast cancer and reproductive organs diseases are necessary but not really reach female workers. 

Workers respond to reproductive health communication program at the factory 

Despite having two children, Ms. Dang Thi Mai, a worker of Japfa Comfeed Vietnam Company (referred to as JAPFA, based in Huong Canh, Binh Xuyen, Vinh Phuc) still wants advice on contraception, and family planning, in order to “lead a healthy life and take good care of the children", Ms. Mai said. However, this is a delicate issue, a difficult-to-say story, so many women are afraid to share. As one of thousands of workers participating in reproductive health communication sessions held at JAPFA Company on August 10, Ms. Mai deemed “the communication sessions were really helpful for myself and my family happiness”. She wishes to participate in many programs like this to gain more knowledge and exchange directly with doctors and experts.

Many "difficult to speak" questions were thoroughly answered by specialists at the communication session of the Project “For Mother and Baby - For Vietnamese stature”

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Luyen, Vice Chairwoman of Trade Union of JAPFA, abortion is quite common because workers still lack the knowledge to use modern contraceptive methods. Ms. Luyen affirmed that if the company does well in taking care of reproductive health for employees, businesses will benefit greatly from limiting insurance costs when employees take maternity or sick leave; uninterrupted production line due to lack of manpower. In particular, when workers are given adequate attention, they will devote themselves and attach to the businesses. 

Increasing access to effective contraceptives for workers

Not only communicating, providing knowledge about reproductive health, this year the project "For mother and baby - For Vietnamese stature" also cooperated with Newchoice contraceptive brand and OK condom to launch a social marketing program of condoms and oral contraceptives to increase the opportunities for workers to access to effective, safe and affordable contraceptive methods.

Social marketing program on quality contraceptives and condoms with reasonable price that receives great response of workers

Ms. Le Bao Ngoc, Marketing Director of DKT International in Vietnam and Golden Choice Company highly appreciated the direct communication program for workers in the industrial zones. "The program has brought good effects because in industrial zones, the number of young people is high, and it is necessary to replicate activities like this," Ms. Ngoc said.

Explaining the implementation of the social marketing program at factories, Ms. Ngoc said, currently, there are many fake condoms and oral contraceptive products on the market, causing many unintended consequences for users. Meanwhile, some products are expensive and hard to access. This accidentally puts workers at risk of health and family planning. Therefore, when this social marketing program is implemented, workers can buy products right at the factory with affordable prices and guaranteed products.

It is known that immediately after the communication sessions on reproductive health, Camsys Vina Company, JAPFA Company and HJC Vina Company officially implemented a social marketing program to bring oral contraceptive and condoms to workers at their workplaces. The program not only received enthusiastic response of companies and workers but also spread to the experts of the project. Dr. Tran Thi Minh Tam, the person in charge of the communication sessions, placed orders for quality oral contraceptive and condoms to provide safe access to her own obstetric and gynecological clinic.

Ms. Vi Thi Hoi (worker of JAPFA company) could not hide the joy when she knew the information because previously she had been infected by using condoms purchased from the market. “Normally, we are very busy, do not have time to learn, addition to the inferiority complex, hesitating to buy and ask about contraception, reproductive health care, so after this day, I did differentiate between genuine and counterfeit contraceptive products. If these products are sold directly at the company, it is a great news for us”.

According to Mr. Le Van Tri, taking care of reproductive health and family planning is a practical job to meet the rights of workers and local workers. In the coming time, it is hoped that the communication activities associated with this meaningful social marketing service will be spread and expanded to more businesses and industrial zones for more beneficiaries.

Source: Dan Tri Newspaper