The government plans to triple the childbirth fees for non-resident domestic helpers, while other non-resident workers’ birthing fees will be raised ninefold, or by 800 percent, as previously announced, according to a spokesperson for the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture Sunday.
The spokesperson told The Macau Post Daily that the government plans to raise the childbirth fees ninefold for the other non-resident workers as previously proposed.
According to a report by The Macau Post Daily on Friday which quoted the Portuguese-language radio station of government-owned broadcaster TDM, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Alexis Tam Chon Weng told migrant worker representatives that the government planned to triple the childbirth fees for non-resident workers and not – as previously proposed by the Health Bureau (SSM) – increase the fees by 800 percent, or ninefold, for them.
Two migrant labour activists revealed the government’s climb-down on the controversial hike after meeting Tam at his office on Thursday.
According to other reports last week, it was unclear whether the threefold fee increase mentioned by Tam would apply to all non-resident workers or only to non-resident domestic helpers.
The spokesperson made the confirmation when The Macau Post Daily asked for clarification from Tam’s office yesterday.
The Health Bureau had proposed the 800 percent across-the-board hike for all non-local pregnant women, except those whose husband is a local resident, on February 28.
Under the threefold fee increase for non-resident domestic workers, the childbirth fees will be raised from 975 patacas to 2,925 patacas for natural childbirth, while the caesarean section fees will be increased from 1,950 patacas to 5,850 patacas.
According to the bureau’s original proposal for all non-resident workers, the fee for natural childbirth was to be increased from 975 patacas to 8,775 patacas, while the fee for caesarean section was to be raised from 1,950 patacas to 17,550 patacas.
For tourists, the fee will increase from 1,950 patacas to 17,550 patacas for natural childbirth and from 3,900 patacas to 35,100 patacas for a C-section, according to the proposal.
