[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung] Jeonnam Provincial Council announced on the 22nd that the partial amendment ordinance on the installation and operation of public postpartum care centers in Jeollanam-do, which was proposed by Representative Jeong Ok-nim (Democratic Party of Korea, proportional representation), has passed the Planning and Administration Committee review.
This ordinance stipulates that the scope of postpartum care fee reductions at public postpartum care centers in the Jeonnam region will be expanded from mothers giving birth to their third child to those giving birth to their second child or more.
Currently, public postpartum care centers in Jeonnam Province have been operating in Haenam, Gangjin, Wando, and Naju since Haenam General Hospital was established as the first center in 2015. In particular, the fifth center is scheduled to be established in Suncheon this October, with the number of reservation waiters increasing every year.
Representative Jeong Ok-nim stated, “Public postpartum care centers have received great responses due to their lower costs and safe postpartum care systems compared to private postpartum care centers,” adding, “They contribute to increasing the birth rate by reducing the reluctance toward postpartum expenses, which is one of the causes of low birth rates.”
She continued, “We expanded the scope of fee reductions for public postpartum care centers not only to benefit Jeonnam Province but also to contribute to South Korea’s birth rate, which is the lowest among OECD countries,” and added, “In the reality of rapidly progressing aging, we will do our best to create a good environment in Jeonnam where people want to have children through economic support for childbirth.”
This ordinance is scheduled to be submitted to the plenary session of the 351st extraordinary meeting of the Jeonnam Provincial Council on the 30th.
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