Press Releases
Non-local women giving birth in Hong Kong in 2012 limited to 35,000
The number of non-local pregnant women giving birth in Hong Kong in 2012
will be limited to 35,000, the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow,
said today (June 24).
He pointed out that the measure will ensure that professional standards and
high quality of service in local obstetric care are maintained and ensure
the sustainable development of Hong Kong's obstetric and paediatric
services.
Dr Chow said public and private hospitals have responded positively and
agreed to reduce the number of deliveries by non-local pregnant women in
Hong Kong in 2012 following discussions among the Government, the Hospital
Authority (HA) and private hospitals in the past two months.
"There is a surge of demand for Hong Kong's obstetric services by non-local
residents, in particular Mainland women, in recent years. To ease the
tremendous pressure on the overall obstetric and neonatal care services, and
to ensure that local pregnant women are given priority for services, the
public and private medical sectors agreed to set a quota for non-local
expectant mothers," he said.
After thorough consideration, the Government decided that the HA should
maintain its practice to reserve sufficient places in public hospitals for
local pregnant women.
The HA would only accept bookings from non-local women when spare service
capacity is available. It is estimated that some 3,400 booking places from
public hospitals could be allocated to this group of people next year. The
HA will stop accepting bookings once the service capacity is full.
Dr Chow said operators of private hospitals also agreed to provide
sufficient services for local pregnant women. The 10 private hospitals
offering obstetric services also agreed to reduce bookings from non-local
pregnant women based on their individual circumstances. The level of
reduction varied among the hospitals.
The number set for deliveries by non-local pregnant women in private
hospitals in 2012 will be around 31,000. The figure is similar to that of
2010 but indicates a decrease of about 7 per cent as compared with 33,000
this year.
The Government will determine the number of deliveries in 2013 after
discussions with the HA and the private hospitals in the first quarter of
next year.
Dr Chow added that the Department of Health will provide two types of
"Certificate on confirmed antenatal and delivery booking" to public and
private hospitals respectively.
The certificates, which will carry personal information of the pregnant
women, names and contacts of the obstetricians and dates of antenatal
checkups, and will be issued by the hospitals concerned, will serve as
booking confirmation and proof of entry for non-local pregnant women.
Non-local pregnant women will be required to present the certificates at the
immigration control points when entering Hong Kong.
The arrangement will also facilitate the Department of Health to keep a
close watch on the services provided by individual hospitals and
obstetricians.
Dr Chow said that apart from limiting the number of deliveries by non-local
pregnant women, the Government will also require them to undergo antenatal
checkups by obstetricians in Hong Kong at an appropriate stage to assess if
they are suitable to give birth in the territory.
"The Hong Kong College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is formulating
guidelines for the checkups to facilitate obstetricians in making clinical
assessment. The guidelines are expected to be compiled in the coming two
months."
Dr Chow added that more resources would be put in place by the Hospital
Authority to enhance the services of the neonatal intensive care units (NICU).
Individual private hospitals will also further improve their special baby
care services in order to reduce referral to the NICUs of public hospitals.
Dr Chow thanked the private hospital operators, medical staff in the public
sector, concern groups on local obstetrics and neonatal services, the Hong
Kong College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Hong Kong College
of Paediatricians for their concerted efforts in safeguarding the well-being
of women giving birth in Hong Kong as well as their babies.
Ends/Friday, June 24, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:11
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