Shenzhen facility for abandoned babies has skeptics(2)

Welfare personnel set up a portable room as safe haven for abandoned babies in Nanjing, on Nov 27. [Zhao Jie/for China Daily]

Similar concerns about a possible increase in the number of abandoned babies have emerged in Jiangsu province, which will open its first safe haven in Nanjing by the end of this year.

Ma Yan, head of the social welfare department under the Nanjing Civil Affairs Bureau, said that the bureau had this concern before launching the booth program.

"The booth will be tested for one year to see whether its establishment will increase the number of abandoned babies," said Ma.

Zhu Hong, director of Nanjing Children's Welfare Institution, said that the booth will be east of the institute's door.

Zhu said that the booth will provide a shelter for abandoned vulnerable babies and save their lives. Another booth will be established in Xuzhou in 2014.

"More than 98 percent of the babies sent to the institute by police have severe physical or mental disabilities," Zhu said. "Many of them wouldn't have any chance to survive if they were not found by local residents by chance."

However, Yu Fangqiang, coordinator of Tianxiagong (Justice for All), a Nanjing-based NGO promoting welfare, benevolence and equality, said that a safe haven is a good place to start.

"From a legal perspective, this move is choosing the lesser of two evils. It is better than having babies left in the street, without any care."

Yu said that the baby haven concept will spread quickly in China because it is an easier and more convenient way to save abandoned babies.

However, he said that the new facilities are not enough to resolve the fundamental issue.

"All of society should work together to educate new parents that abandoning babies is illegal and immoral. NGOs and local governments should help them send unintended babies to the social welfare institute."