Ministry seeks NGO to set up baby hatches

KUCHING: The Ministry of Welfare, Community Well-being, Women, Family and Childhood Development is looking for nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) or private hospitals that wish to set-up baby hatches.

Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said the state's first baby hatch at KPJ Kuching Specialist Hospital is temporarily unavailable as the hospital is still looking for a suitable location in terms of technical, safety, and privacy aspects for the baby hatch at its new building.

“Therefore, NGOs or private hospitals who want to set up the baby hatch, KPJ Kuching Specialist Hospital can share their expertise,” she told a press conference after chairing the One Stop Teenage Pregnancy Committee (OSTPC) meeting yesterday.

Fatimah said the Sarawak Federation of Chinese Associations (SFCA) has pledged to help with sponsors.

“In our discussion, SFCA president Datuk Richard Wee had mentioned that the association is able to help to look for sponsors to donate funds in setting up the baby hatch,” she said.

Fatimah said five babies (one unfortunately died) were left in the baby hatch at KPJ Kuching

Specialist Hospital, which was launched on Jan 20, 2017.

The babies left at the baby hatch were taken for health checks and care for or treated for three days at the paediatric ward before being handed over to the Welfare Department.

She said aside from ensuring newborn babies are safe, the ministry also wants the welfare of the mothers, especially teenage and unwed mothers, to be taken care of. Fatimah pointed out the Welfare Department runs the Taman Seri Puteri shelter for pregnant teenage girls who are victims of sexual crimes, including rape cases referred by the court, or are unmarried.

“We also want pregnant teenagers to come forward voluntarily, if they need help as the shelter provides all the care such as support, counselling, food, accommodation, including sports, academic, and vocational programmes such as tuition for SPM, PT3, sewing, and culinary during their pregnancy,” she said.

She also cited services provided by religious groups such as ProLife Kuching – a Christian NGO that discourages abortion and baby dumping, and also provides a support system in the areas of religion and counselling for pregnant teenagers.