Should the government screen pregnant mainland women coming to Hong Kong?

Benjamin Siu, 16 St Joseph's College

No, definitely not. Hong Kong offers some of the most sophisticated medical facilities in Asia.

This is one of the reasons why thousands of mainland women come to give birth in our hospitals.

The real problem is that the majority of them are evading payment for the maternity services. And our city's taxpayers have to foot the bill.

Also, the sudden influx of pregnant mainland women has imposed a severe strain on Hong Kong's maternity wards. This has led to protests by local mothers-to-be who say that mainland women are taking unfair advantage of our medical resources.

Yet, the screening of pregnant mainlanders entering Hong Kong cannot be justified.

This is discrimination because foreigners are not subjected to such regulations.

According to the BBC, some people in Shanghai have expressed strong disapproval of the scheme.

Besides, the government has to send a large number of medical staff to border checkpoints to implement the proposals. This is a waste of resources.

To solve the problem, the government should ensure that those who use our medical services pay up. In the long term, the government could even consider developing Hong Kong into a regional hub for top-class medical services. This is better than implementing a scheme which has raised harsh criticism.

Jocelyn Heng, 15 Maryknoll Convent School

Yes, such a policy is justified and effective.

Over the past year, more than 20,000 babies from mainland mothers were born in Hong Kong. This has adversely affected the city's health-care system.

Local mothers are put on waiting lists due to the huge number of mainlanders crowding our maternity wards. This is unfair to the taxpayers, who are being deprived of the care they deserve.

According to the Prince of Wales Hospital, nearly 70 per cent of mainland patients do not make bookings before their arrival. Hospitals are not prepared to deal with a last-minute rush.

By giving birth on Hong Kong soil, mainland mothers are securing their children's future - they get right of abode, along with free education and social welfare. Why should mainlanders reap the rewards when they haven't contributed to Hong Kong's coffers?

Demanding payment is impractical and ineffective because women can leave without paying.

The screening process is not discriminatory. We are not denying pregnant mainlanders the right to use our medical services.

The new scheme will help the government to allocate resources properly, and prevent mainlanders from misusing our medical facilities.