Trainings held to monitor the health and family planning situation of China’s migrant population

(chinadaily.com.cn)

Updated: 2014-06-09

China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission held two training sessions between April 27 and 29, aiming to train specialists to better monitor the health and family planning situation of the country’s migrant population.

One of the sessions was held in Beijing and the other in Nanjing. As many as 300 specialists across China attended the training sessions. Wang Peian, vice-minister of the commission, delivered a speech at the opening of the training program.

Wang fully affirmed the great achievements made by monitoring the migrant population, which consists of mainly migrant workers. Monitoring and census of the migrant population have been carried out since 2009 and have played a key role in terms of understanding the new dynamics and trends of the migrant population and setting up related policies.

Wang attached great importance to the service and management of the migrant population, which is a result of China’s urbanization and industrialization. Monitoring the health and family planning situation of the migrant population is regarded as an important priority for the central government. Nevertheless, carrying out the work has its challenges.

The monitoring of the health and family planning situation of the migrant population is basic but critical work. The monitoring results serve as a benchmark for the measurement and evaluation to carry out health and family planning work. The monitoring work is an important channel to understand the demands of people, and it can lay a solid foundation for the research of migrant population policies.

All local bureaus are asked to carefully carry out census and themed surveys, dig deeper into data and better promote research achievements. A monitoring and investigation mechanism for the migrant population needs to be built.

Wang also asked his team to strengthen organizational leadership, improve the quality of surveys, and improve financial management and performance evaluation.

Wang Qian, director-general of the Department of Service for and Management of Migrant Population at NHFPC, concluded the training sessions by setting up specific requirements in terms of surveys implementation and financial management. He asked trained specialists to pass their knowledge and experience to local co-workers across China.

The training sessions also included programs to carry out surveys on mental health.