High costs for private hospitals and overburdened public health services in Hong Kong are being blamed for women turning to the black market or backstreet clinics on the mainland for abortion help. Local lawmaker Shiu Ka-chun, who represents the social welfare sector in the Legislative Council, condemned this as a huge “class problem” when she spoke to South China Morning Post after two women were jailed for carrying out illegal abortions as a result of a sting operation last December. She said not all pregnant women could get an abortion even if they were eligible, and this was the real problem.
Costs quoted in the article for abortion from different providers ranged from HK$195 (US$25) on mainland China to HK$40,000 (US$5,116) at a private Hong Kong hospital.
SOURCE: South China Morning Post, 2 September, 2017 ; VISUAL