Mums and babies come first, Bureau warns data thieves

By Cai Wenjun  |   2008-7-2  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

THE Shanghai Health Bureau has reiterated the importance of protecting the privacy of pregnant women and new mothers after reports they are being pestered by sellers of insurance and baby products.

The bureau issued a notice following the disclosure of the personal details of about 40,000 pregnant women and new mothers in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province. Criminals transferred the information to computer disks and sold them illegally. Shenzhen police and the government are investigating.

The Shanghai bureau has ordered all medical facilities to protect personal information and not allow it to be given to any businesses or individuals without government approval.

Protected information includes pregnant women's names, addresses, phone numbers, medical history, delivery records and information about their babies.

Hospitals and medical staff can be punished if they violate the regulation, the notice said.

Chen Daning, an official with the International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, said yesterday that the hospital had strict regulations about the management of patients' information.

"If it is confirmed that an employee has leaked patient information, the hospital will fire that employee," she said.

Officials said many facilities had access to the personal information of pregnant women and newborn babies, including maternity hospitals which conduct prenatal checkups and provide delivery services, neighborhood health centers which register pregnant women and new mothers in their areas and population and family planning commissions doing statistics and population research.

"People also may give out information while shopping or filling in membership forms. Citizens should also be on alert," she said. "We have received complaints from some patients who have received phone calls or home visits from salesmen promoting baby products or insurance. But it is difficult to investigate because there is a lack of evidence."