Gov’t expands fertility, childcare support as family structures evolve

Local authorities are boosting medical and childcare services to address low fertility and changing family structures, Health Bureau director Alvis Lo said during Friday’s plenary session at the Legislative Assembly.

The official said assisted reproductive technology is on track to help 130 couples in the first half of the year, while new childcare centers and expanded allowances aim to support families from birth to age three.

Lo told lawmakers that gradual improvements have been made in the public health system, particularly in waiting times for specialist care. He noted that initial specialist consultations in public medical services have decreased from 3.3 weeks last year to 2.7 weeks this year.

To further expand capacity, Lo said cooperation between Conde de São Januário Hospital and the Islands Healthcare Complex will be stepped up. The two facilities will share personnel, equipment, and space to better meet residents’ needs, with the Islands Healthcare Complex aiming to handle about 10% of public medical services by the end of this year and 25% by 2027.

Women’s development, fertility support, childcare and subsidies

Against the backdrop of low fertility and changing family structures, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture O Lam remarked efforts to build a more supportive medical and community environment for expecting families.

She said the upcoming Women’s Development Goals (2026–2032) will prioritize coordinated support for women’s careers alongside family responsibilities, tying social policy more closely to demographic challenges.

Earlier in October, Wilson Hon, vice chairperson of the Women and Children Affairs Committee and director of the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS), outlined priorities of the Women’s Development Goals plan, which included physical and mental development, family-friendly environments, greater social participation, and gender equality.

On fertility support, O Lam stressed that all pregnant women in Macau, regardless of age, have access to free noninvasive prenatal genetic testing, which she said strengthens early-stage support for families. She also remarked that the subsidy program for assisted reproductive technology has shortened the average wait time to six months for couples facing conception difficulties.

To help boost fertility rates, authorities are also focusing on care for children from birth to age three. Next year, 150 new childcare places for children under two will be added, with at least five new centers offering emergency and temporary care.

O Lam noted that childcare coverage rate for children aged zero to two stands at 69%, adding that the supply of childcare places is currently sufficient as demand has eased.

Moreover, each child under three who is a permanent resident is eligible for an allowance of MOP18,000 a year, or MOP1,500 a month. The allowance can be claimed for up to three years for each eligible child, bringing the total potential support to MOP54,000 over the child’s first three years.