A baby hatch in Guangzhou has been forced to temporarily close after receiving over 260 babies since it opened its doors in late January – around five babies per day. According to reports, "rooms, beds, quarantine facilities as well as working staff are facing a shortfall due to the overwhelming baby figures".
Baby hatches are safe havens in which parents can anonymously abandon unwanted children. The baby is placed in a temperature controlled hatch by their parent who presses a button, and a member of staff will come and collect the baby five to ten minutes later. The scheme was set up by the Chinese government to improve survival chances of the 10,000 or so children abandoned in China every year. At present, 25 centres are in operation throughout the country.
The hatches have found that an equal number of boys and girls have been abandoned in the centres, despite the Chinese family tradition of preferring boys. However, the BBC reports that "health officials said most babies left there had severe health problems and were abandoned because their parents feared they would not have enough money to pay for expensive medical treatment. Many babies left in the hatches came with notes, cash or medical records tucked inside their clothing."
The Guangzhou centre will reopen when all current infants are sufficiently cared for, an official said. Chinese authorities have said each province must set up at least two hatches by the end of the year.
[Image via CNS]
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