Saturday, November 11, 2006

The hospital where mothers can dump their unwanted babies

A hospital in southern Japan will set up a baby "drop-off" where unwanted infants can be anonymously abandoned. Jikei Hospital, a private facility in Kumamoto prefecture, has decided to introduce the baby drop-off, hospital official Satoshi Tokumitsu said Thursday.

A small window at the hospital will allow people outside to leave their babies in an incubator, according to national daily Asahi Shimbun. An alarm will notify staff once an infant is placed inside.

Hospital director Taiji Hasuda told Asahi he wants to reduce the number of abortions through the program. The babies placed in the drop-off will be put up for adoption.

The hospital is expected to start taking babies as early as the end of the year.

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