One-stop service from pregnancy preparation to postpartum... 'Haetbit Center' opens
Mapo-gu opens 584㎡ Haetbit Center through full remodeling of the 2nd floor of the public health center... Unveiling ceremony scheduled for the 19th
Convenience spaces such as infertility couple counseling room, nutrition counseling room, maternal and child health education room, and rest area... Maximizing user satisfaction
Providing one-stop health services including pregnancy preparation, infertility couple support, maternal health management, and postpartum depression management
Last January, District Mayor Park Gang-su visited local daycare facilities and greeted the children.
Mapo-gu (Mayor Park Gang-su) announced on the 17th that it has completed the establishment of the 'Haetbit Center' on the 2nd floor of the Mapo-gu Public Health Center to support one-stop pregnancy and childbirth health management.
According to OECD standards, South Korea is an ultra-low fertility country with a total fertility rate of 0.78, but Mapo-gu's rate was only 0.58 in 2021, falling short of the national average.
The district judged that to solve this serious low birthrate problem and establish a healthy maternal and child health foundation, it is necessary to provide customized health services centered on the target population beyond simple medical expense support, and has been promoting the 'Haetbit Center construction' since August last year.
The Haetbit Center is named with the meaning of brightly shining 'the first sunlight a newborn sees,' and it allows integrated one-stop management in one place from the pregnancy preparation process of prospective parents hoping for pregnancy to maternal health care after childbirth and infant health checkups.
To establish the Haetbit Center, the district formulated the opening and operation plan in August last year and secured 290 million KRW in special city adjustment grants, remodeling the entire 2nd floor of the Mapo-gu Public Health Center, previously used as the maternal and child health center, into the Haetbit Center, doubling the space to 584㎡ compared to before.
Mapo-gu maximized user convenience by newly organizing the space with ▲infertility couple counseling room ▲nutrition counseling room ▲maternal and child health education room ▲pregnant women's rest area ▲sensory development zone for children ▲small group room ▲oral care room.
At the Haetbit Center, various health services linked throughout the entire pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting process will be provided, including ▲support for pregnancy preparation for men and women ▲expanded support for infertile couples ▲pregnant women registration and customized health management ▲postpartum helper and postpartum care cost support ▲home visits for Mapo baby’s first health steps and happy breastfeeding support ▲postpartum depression prevention and management ▲operation of specialized maternal and child health programs.
Exterior view of the 'Haetbit Center' located on the 2nd floor of Mapo-gu Public Health Center on the 17th
Kim Hyo-jin (pseudonym, 33) from Seongsan-dong, who heard the opening news, said, “Pregnancy and childbirth are things I have no experience with, and I am often too busy with work to get necessary information on time,” adding, “It would be very convenient and useful to receive helpful information and support aligned with the flow from pregnancy preparation to childbirth.”
Mayor Park Gang-su said, “Mapo-gu has a very high proportion of single-person households at 48%, and the birthrate is seriously low. This low birthrate causes serious problems across childcare, education, and production sectors in the local community,” and added, “Through the newly opened Haetbit Center, we will create a 'Mapo where people want to have and raise children' and a 'Mapo where children and parents are happy' with the principle that the community works together from pregnancy and childbirth to postpartum care, rather than one-off annual handouts.”
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