China is trying to reduce the rate of birth defects of newborn children among the migrant population by making use of the Internet.
Zhang Chunsheng, the director of the Migrant Population Division of the National Population and Family Planning Commission of China, has stated that China is accelerating the construction of a provincial level migrant population online service management system and the system is expected to be completed in 2010. It is intended to offer convenient, efficient, and cost-effective management information about the migrant population.
China has seen a rapid increase in the migrant population since the 1990s. Statistics have shown that China had a migrant population of 150 million in 2006 and 80% of the migrant population were migrant workers. Under the traditional household registration system, once a person leaves his or her native town, it's difficult for the local government to learn about their population status, with the result that it is difficult for women of childbearing age to obtain health services. The lack of regular prenatal care and checkups among this group of women is said to be a main reason for infant deaths and disability.
