Recently, the 488th triplets were born at the Pyongyang Maternity Hospital, bringing happy news to the people. Staff reporter Yang Ryon Hui interviewed Kim Kyong Chol, a department director of the Ministry of Public Health, on the social policies for triplets.

Yang: When did the country begin to direct concern for triplets?

Kim: President Kim Il Sung published the immortal classic work “On Taking Measures for Rearing Triplets” in July Juche 36 (1947). Since then, the country established the system of taking full responsibility for bringing up and looking after triplets.

Upon receiving a report that the first triplets were born after Korea’s liberation (August 1945), the President expressed his satisfaction saying that their birth was a propitious omen for the country. And he saw to it that the babies and their mother were attended by a physician and a nurse and took measures to provide all conditions for bringing them up.

The above-said system is fully guaranteed by the law of the DPRK on the Nursing and Upbringing of Children which was adopted at the Sixth Session of the Fifth Supreme People’s Assembly held in April 1976.

According to the Law, the State shall supply triplets free with clothes and blankets, and dairy products for a year, grant subsidies for their upbringing until they reach school age and responsibly look after the health of the babies and mothers by specifically designating medical workers for this purpose.

Yang: Please tell me about the benefits the triplets have received from the State.

Kim: The State spares nothing for the triplets. Pregnant women who have diagnosed as having triplets are sent to the Pyongyang Maternity Hospital, irrespective of their residence, and receive medical treatment for easy delivery for several months. The hospital takes care of the triplets until they weigh 4kg, for over 200 days in general.

During the period all the expenses for the babies and their mother are totally borne by the State.

After leaving the hospital the triplets grow at the baby home in their residence. The State gives the triplets and their parents a silver dagger for a boy and a gold ring for a girl as a gift inscribed with their birthday.

During their growth, the life and health of triplets are under scientific and comprehensive protection and under the State’s medical examination and health control system ranging from central hospital to children’s hospital in every province and relevant clinic.

There are many other State’s benefits for the triplets.

I have one more to say. Women in our country enjoy free medical care under the well-knitted medical service management system embracing the obstetrical and gynecological department in all provincial maternity hospitals and city, county and ri people’s hospitals centering on the Pyongyang Maternity Hospital. The State takes special care of women and children through the policies such as a maternity leave.

We will make devoted efforts to ensure that the benefits of the socialist health care system in our country are more easily accessible to the people.