Babies double after orphanage opens safe haven
Print Edition
An orphanage in the east China city of Nanjing received twice the number of abandoned children this month compared to a year ago after it set up a “safe haven” for them.
Some parents from other parts of the country even drove their children to the facility and attempted to dump them there.
The safe haven, built at the gate of the Nanjing Social Children’s Welfare Center, has received nine babies since it was completed on December 10.
The orphanage has also found 10 babies in surrounding areas in the past two weeks. In addition, police have sent six, bringing the total to 25, yesterday’s People’s Daily reported, citing orphanage head Zhu Hong.
The safe haven is air-conditioned and equipped with a cot and incubator to maintain moderate temperatures and humidity. People press a button when leaving babies and an alarm sounds several minutes later in order to protect their privacy.
The program is intended to prevent babies from being abandoned in dangerous circumstances, such as in litter bins and in freezing weather. But it has been a subject of much debate, with some saying the move encourages more parents to abandon their babies.
The concerns seemed to be justified in Nanjing, the Dahe Daily reported.
Zhu Shucui, the orphanage’s deputy director, said: “I can understand these parents who had no other choice but to desert their children. But despite their difficulties, they are breaking the rules and should be punished.”
Zhu Hong said media reports of Nanjing’s safe haven might have encouraged parents from other cities and provinces to take their babies there.
Some might have come to Nanjing to see doctors but when told the diseases were hard to cure, they decided to leave the babies. Most of cases were newborns suffering from congenital defects and diseases, the People’s Daily said.
Zhu Hong said the orphanage received nearly 200 children every year, but so far, only one had been completely healthy.
The first baby found at the safe haven, just a few hours after it was completed on December 10, was no exception. He had a malignant tumor in his abdomen. He has undergone surgery but is still in danger, Zhu Shucui said.
Liu Ping, the orphanage’s child care director, said medical treatment couldn’t save every severely ill child. “I think parents should try their best. Even if their children die eventually, at least they don’t feel guilty since they are there for them if their babies die in their arms,” Liu said.
Zhu Hong said some people had misunderstood the purpose of the safe haven, believing that abandoning their children was not against the law.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
