Birth experience in Hong Kong wrought 1,000 curses

[Ian_Lee]

This husband publicized how his wife gave birth in HK in his blog and wrought 1,000 curses in two days. Finally his article has to be deleted:

http://big5.chinabroadcast.cn/gate/big5/gb.cri.cn/14753/2007/01/10/1806@1392447.htm

[roddy]

And what do you think about this Ian?

[skylee]

There is an influx of pregnant mainland women getting to HK to give birth because

1) the better medical facilities

2) the possibilities of their getting away without paying the hospitals

3) the citizenship that the babies will have

4) the prospect of getting social assistance through their babies

And HK people, especially local expecting mothers, are very unhappy about this because

1) their share of medical care is affected

2) the mostly publicly funded hospitals are unable to chase the debt because these women simply leave and go back to the mainland with the babies and then they phone HK social welfare department to enquire about the welfare that their babies are entitled to

3) the babies cannot be denied the citizenship

4) the government seems incapable of dealing with all these

The link at #1 shows nothing. And Ian, what are your views?

[Jinix]

Seems like similar issue of Mexicans crossing the boarder in to USA to have their baby get US citizenship which cost taxpayers money.

Who won't want to have their baby born in a country or in this case SAR of China if their family is poor. World is a sad place if you don't have money. Thank god we Chinese people are in a booming economy, sooner or later with in 20-50 years rest of China won't be so different than SAR areas ^^ problem sovled.

[skylee]

New development -> http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200701/16/P200701160184.htm

In respect of medical services, the Hospital Authority will implement a central booking system for obstetric services starting from February 1. Under the booking system, all pregnant women, including Mainland women planning to deliver in Hong Kong, must make prior arrangements with hospitals here and undergo antenatal examinations.

With effect from February 1, the authority will increase the minimum amount of the Obstetric Package Charge for NEPs – $39,000 for those with a booking, and $48,000 for those without one. The fee has to be paid in full at the time of booking. The authority will issue a booking confirmation certificate to NEPs who have secured a booking and made payment.

All private hospitals offering obstetric services support the new measures. They will similarly issue a booking confirmation certificate to pregnant women who have secured a booking and paid a deposit for the necessary inpatient services.

Starting from February 1, pregnant Mainland women who are suspected of entering Hong Kong to give birth will be asked by immigration officers upon entry to produce the booking confirmation certificates issued by Hong Kong hospitals to prove that a local hospital has confirmed the arrangements for their admission to the hospital. Those who fail to do so will be denied entry and repatriated.

[Ian_Lee]

The reality is more complicated than Mexicans fleeing to U.S. Many of these pregnant mothers are in fact the new riches in Mainland China who don't mind paying up to six figure HK$ to give birth (private hospital expense+travel+lodging before delivery) in HK.

In fact, most of these babies are carried back by their parents back to Mainland after birth.

A more appropriate analogy is like HK parents giving birth in Canada or US during the '80s and '90s. The only difference is that HK is the recipient this time.

All these parents go thru these hassles to give their kids a better future and a kind of insurance.

[Ian_Lee]

The issue is not only hot in HK but also hot in Mainland. Here is the heated 5-pages discussion among some soon-to-be mothers in Shanghai on giving birth in HK in the babyclub forum in Sohu.com:

http://babyclub.women.sohu.com/r-overseas-381154-0-0-0.html