Health News

Hong Kong asks China to help stop influx of pregnant women

Feb 6, 2012, 11:58 GMT

Hong Kong - Talks were held between Hong Kong and Chinese officials Monday over ways to combat an influx of pregnant women from the mainland crossing the border to give birth in the city.

Tens of thousands of mainlanders are giving birth in the wealthy former British colony, straining the city's public hospitals.

A newspaper advertisement taken out by a group of citizens last week depicted mainland visitors as locusts.

Raymond Tam, secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs, on Monday met Zhu Xiaodan, governor of neighbouring Guangdong province.

Tam said he wanted officials in Guangdong to help crack down on cross-border agents who help pregnant women give birth in Hong Kong.

Zhu promised a solution but did not give any details.

In 2010, some 42,000 of Hong Kong's 89,000 births were to women from the mainland, whose children qualify for residency, free education and health care if born in the city.