*************************************************
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) today (October 8) announced that the booking for delivery in public hospitals will be closed today for non-local pregnant women if their expected delivery dates fall within October to December 2009 to ensure the adequate provision of obstetric services for local expectant mothers during the coming obstetric peak season.
The HA spokesman said a series of measures for obstetric services have been implemented in public hospitals since February 1, 2007, to ensure sufficient places for local pregnant women as well as managing the demand on obstetric services by non-local women.
"These new measures so far have been successful in reducing the number of non-local pregnant women giving birth in public hospitals and allowing the HA to devote its capacity to local pregnant women. The number of non-local women giving birth in public hospitals has been reduced by around 12% in 2008 as compared with that in 2006 whilst the number of local women giving birth in public hospitals has increased by around 8% in 2008 as compared with 2006 (see appendix).
"The increasing trend of local pregnant women giving birth in public hospitals is projected to continue this year. In the light of this increasing trend and with the advent of the peak season for obstetric services in Hong Kong, proactive measures have to be implemented to ensure that the available capacity in public hospitals would be sufficient to meet the demand from local pregnant women. It is therefore necessary for the HA to suspend the delivery booking for non-local women in the peak months from October to December.
"However, booking by non-locals for the expected delivery date beyond December 31, 2009, will still be accepted," the spokesman added.
Ends/Thursday, October 8, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:28
NNNN
