T
here’s no such thing as a
free lunch, right? While
it’s true that few things of
value come free, in Hong
Kong, if you have an ID card or are
a resident aged 11 years or younger,
you can participate in the Health
Authority’s postnatal mother and
childcare programme absolutely free.
At no cost to you, the programme
certainly presents excellent value! It
includes initial baby monitoring for
conditions such as jaundice, check-up
and removal of stitches, breastfeeding
advice, family planning, a schedule
of immunisations that cover
baby from newborn to Primary
Six, developmental and growth
monitoring, diet assessment and
hearing screening. Cantonese
speakers can also attend parental
education classes.
Most of the care and services take
place at one of the city’s 38 Maternal
Child & Healthcare Centres (MCHC).
If you’ve registered and received your
antenatal care at an MCHC, your free
care will start a week after the baby’s
birth and can continue at the same
MCHC location. If you’ve received
your antenatal care elsewhere – at a
private hospital, for example – you can
still use the free MCHC programme.
If any problems arise at check-points
throughout the free programme – for
example, if your baby has a low birth
weight or jaundice sets in – mothers
are usually referred to a specialised
clinic within their local hospital. Visit
the website
/
centre_det/maternal/maternal.html)
to find an MCHC that’s convenient to
you and call to make an appointment.
Differences of opinion
Hong Kong is a leader in government-
sponsored postnatal care, and boasts
one of the lowest infant mortality rates
(the number of deaths before one year
of age). Since, in developed countries,
infant mortality rate is directly related
to postnatal care, you can be assured
that the care you receive will be of a
high standard. However, the “vibe”
that you get will vary among centres,
with some being more regimented
and others having a more nurturing
touch. The MCHC system allows you
the freedom to choose a centre, rather
than being forced into the one closest
to your home, so you can find the one
that best meets your needs.
The Health Authority’s
guidelines regarding breastfeeding
are reasonable and straightforward.
They say that all Department of
Health employees should “encourage
breastfeeding as the preferred method
of infant feeding”, “participate in
efforts to promote, protect and support
breastfeeding as the cultural norm,”
and “create a positive and supportive
In a city known for high prices, a mother’s critical postnatal health
services are – surprisingly – free, writes
Katie McGregor
.
,
,
October 2013
81
