BANGKOK: Malaysia can pick up something from the method implemented in Thailand in tackling the issue of neglected children and babies and those without citizenships, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Dr Wan Azizah, who is also Women, Family and Community Development Minister, said Malaysia was attracted at the commitment of the Thai government in ensuring their predicaments were appropriately championed.
‘’I visited the Thai Red Cross Children’s Home (RCCH) and was attracted with the concern of the Thai government in ensuring the children and babies get the appropriate attention so that their basic needs such as education and health are met,’’ she told a media conference with the Malaysian media here yesterday.
She said that she was attracted to the efforts taken by the centre to look for the next-of-kin of the neglected children who were sheltered at the centre.
‘’First they will seek out the children’s families or closest relations so that the children could be returned to their rightful families. If the families are poor, the centre can assist them to take back the abandoned children. In fact, the shelter also has an adoption programme including from abroad,’’ she said.
The deputy premier arrived this morning for a two-day official visit to the Thai capital and was received by Thai Red Cross Children Home Adoption Sub-committee Chairperson Associate Professor Dr Khunying Saree Chitinand, Child Welfare Section chief Voraporn Keavalin and the Home Treasurer Pariya Aungsuvon.
Dr Wan Azizah was given a video briefing and introduction to the home that sheltered more than 600 abandoned children since its establishment 38 years ago.
The home was established on Sept 17, 1981, out of concern by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, the Thai Red Cross Society’s Executive Vice-President, for babies abandoned by their mothers after birth at Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Queen Sawangvatana Memorial Hospital in Sri Racha, and other Thai Red Cross agencies.
The home provided care for abandoned children in order to help them reach their ultimate physical, mental and social development potentials. Medical care was also provided by pediatricians, nurses and volunteers there.
The home took care of not more than 50 children at a time and, currently, it sheltered 47 abandoned infants and children up to seven years of age.
The home also traced the parents or relatives of 117 abandoned children to reunite with their own families since 34 years ago.
RCCH had been granted legal authorisation to render adoption service for abandoned children since 1981, and 579 children were adopted, with 110 children being adopted by Thai families and 469 were adopted by couples from 16 countries.
Meanwhile, Dr Khunying Saree, 88, when met by reporters, said the home, among others, provided adoption service, day care nursery, vocational training for underprivileged youths and education fund for children affected by Tsunami.
She said volunteers and staff also helped to reunite the orphans registered there with their respective blood relatives.
“We work with social workers to bring in children who were abandoned by their parents. Some of the children were left at the hospital while undergoing treatment for illnesses. We will then work on locating and reunite them with their families before resorting to adoption,“ said the paediatrician who had been a Red Cross volunteer for over 40 years. — Bernama
