ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Japan hospital sets up drop-off hatch for unwanted babies
TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- A Japanese hospital said Thursday it would set up a hatch into which unwanted infants can be anonymously dropped.
The plan comes after a series of cases of parents reportedly abandoning newborns in parks and shopping centers.
The Catholic-run Jikei Hospital in the southern city of Kumamoto, which received local government permission for the service on Thursday, hopes the hatch will reduce cases of abandoned babies and abortions, according to head nurse Yukiko Tajiri.
The move came despite criticism from top government officials that it could spur more parents to abandon their babies. Tajiri said the hospital was simply trying to save lives.
"This hospital places great value on life," Tajiri said. "We want to widen the choices available to women."
A small window at the hospital will allow people outside to leave their babies in an incubator, and an alarm will notify staff once an infant is placed inside, according to Tajiri.
Entire story: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/04/05/japan.baby.hatch.ap/index.html
TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- A Japanese hospital said Thursday it would set up a hatch into which unwanted infants can be anonymously dropped.
The plan comes after a series of cases of parents reportedly abandoning newborns in parks and shopping centers.
The Catholic-run Jikei Hospital in the southern city of Kumamoto, which received local government permission for the service on Thursday, hopes the hatch will reduce cases of abandoned babies and abortions, according to head nurse Yukiko Tajiri.
The move came despite criticism from top government officials that it could spur more parents to abandon their babies. Tajiri said the hospital was simply trying to save lives.
"This hospital places great value on life," Tajiri said. "We want to widen the choices available to women."
A small window at the hospital will allow people outside to leave their babies in an incubator, and an alarm will notify staff once an infant is placed inside, according to Tajiri.
Entire story: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/04/05/japan.baby.hatch.ap/index.html
