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Nanjing ‘safe haven’ pressured after too many babies were left
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NEARLY a dozen babies have been abandoned at an orphanage in Nanjing, capital of eastern Jiangsu Province, since the orphanage opened a “safe haven” two weeks ago, allowing people to leave babies in a secure place with no questions asked, Dahe Daily reported today.
The Nanjing Social Children’s Welfare Center’s program is intended to keep babies from being abandoned in dangerous circumstances, but it has been a subject of debate, with some arguing that it encourages people to cast off their babies.
“It totally violated our purpose,” said Zhu Shucui, the center’s deputy director, of the large numbers of abandoned children. “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,” she said.
Center Director Zhu Hong said some parents from other cities and provinces also sent their children there.
The use of safe havens has recently started to spread since babies were being found dead or dying.
The owner of a grocery store near the center said babies have been found in the safe haven almost every day. The owner said most people left their babies at night but some just left their children at the gate and drove away in the morning.
Zhu Shucui said most of the abandoned babies were diagnosed with congenital problems, such as cerebral palsy, heart problems and harelip.
The first to be found at the safe haven, just a few hours after it was completed on December 10, had a malignant tumor in his abdomen. He has undergone an operation but is still in danger, Zhu Shucui added.
Liu Ping, child care director of the orphanage, said medical treatment can’t save every severely ill child.
“I think parents should try their best. Even if their children still die in the end, they can at least not feel guilty since they were there for them if their babies die in their arms,” Liu said.
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