Number of baby shelters set to increase to meet demand

While the baby shelter in Guangzhou was unable to meet the demand, China is setting up more shelters across the country in an effort to improve the care of abandoned infants.

Baby shelters were first introduced in Shijiazhuang, the capital of China's northern Hebei province, in 2011. Within two and a half years, the shelter had become home to more than 220 abandoned infants.

Following that, 24 more shelters were opened in 9 other provinces. Baby shelters in major cities have seen an increase in the number of abandoned babies.

In the past 50 days alone, the shelter in Guangzhou has received 262 infants, the one in Nanjing has received 25, while 16 were left at the shelter in Tianjin.

The China Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption said that more shelters are scheduled to be set up in 18 regions later this year.