Myanmar drafts population policy

The Government of the Union of Myanmar has drafted a population policy and will strive to achieve the goal of optimum population in the future, according to the Minister for Health, H.E. Vice-Admiral Than Nyunt, who made the statement on the occasion of World Population Day (11 July). The Minister said that, although population growth was not a problem, a birth-spacing project was being implemented with a view to promoting the health standard of mothers and children. There are now 20 townships where the project is being implemented with support from the UN Population Fund; the number would grow to 72 townships within the next three years, the Minister said. According to the 1994 ESCAP Population Data Sheet, the population of Myanmar is estimated to be about 45 million.