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In response to media enquiries on intermediaries assisting pregnant Mainland women to give birth in Hong Kong, a Government spokesperson today (October 24) reiterated that the Government will continue to strengthen the relevant interception and law enforcement work, including combating intermediaries involving in illicit activities to assist pregnant Mainland women to give birth in Hong Kong.
The spokesperson said, "Since the enhancement of the complementary immigration measures in late 2011, the number of Mainland pregnant women gate-crashing the Accident and Emergency Departments without prior booking has declined substantially from an average of 150 per month during the period from September to December last year to an average of 90 per month for the period between January and April this year. The figure further dropped to an average of 40 per month from May to August and the number of cases in September further dropped to 25, showing that the relevant administrative measures are effective.
"In 2012 (up to October 21), the Immigration Department has refused entry of 3 524 Mainland pregnant women who have not made prior booking of obstetric service, representing a substantial increase of over 80% when compared with the year-round figure of 1 931 in 2011. Besides, the Immigration Department will pass the information of Mainland pregnant women who have been refused entry to the Mainland authorities in order to prevent them from taking the dangerous move of seeking emergency admission to local hospitals shortly before labour.
"At the same time, any person who illegally assists pregnant Mainland women to give birth in Hong Kong commits an offence and the law enforcement agencies will strictly combat such act. In 2012, 12 individuals involved in illicit activities to assist pregnant Mainland women giving birth in Hong Kong were jailed and their sentences range from eight weeks to one year." The spokesperson added that the law enforcement agencies maintain close liaison with the Mainland authorities and are committed to combating illicit intermediary activities. The Police also monitor closely activities of the intermediaries through cyber patrol. It will follow up with any illegal act detected in accordance with the law.
"The law enforcement agencies of the Special Administrative Region Government are committed to combating Mainland pregnant women giving birth in Hong Kong through illicit means. The Immigration Department will step up prosecution against Mainland pregnant women who overstayed in Hong Kong to give birth (the Immigration Department has prosecuted 416 overstayed Mainland pregnant women from October last year to September this year). It will also step up inspection and enforcement at the illegal premises where these overstayed Mainland pregnant women stay," the spokesperson added.
The spokesperson appeals to the public for reporting any overstay of pregnant Mainland women and those suspected to be assisting them to give birth in Hong Kong for the follow up action of the law enforcement agencies.
"The Government's established policy is to ensure that Hong Kong residents are given proper obstetric services as well as the priority in the use of these services. We will only consider making obstetric services available to non-local pregnant women when we have spare service capacity. As such, the Government has put in place a number of measures, including the setting of limit to the number of deliveries by non-local pregnant women in Hong Kong in 2012.
"Also, the Government has announced on April 17 that in 2013, all beds for obstetric services in public hospitals would be reserved for local pregnant women and urgent cases referred by private hospitals and hence no bookings from non-local pregnant women will be accepted. Private hospitals have also indicated on April 24 that a unanimous consensus has been reached among them to stop accepting bookings for obstetric services in 2013 from non-local pregnant women whose husbands are non-Hong Kong residents. Non-local pregnant women whose husbands are Hong Kong permanent residents or Hong Kong residents who came to Hong Kong on the Permit for Proceeding to Hong Kong and Macao (One-way Permit), after antenatal checkup in Hong Kong and upon referral by the attending doctor, can make delivery bookings at local private hospitals in 2013 through the existing special arrangements," the spokesperson said.
Ends/Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Issued at HKT 20:56
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