Health Secretary Projects Rising Healthcare Costs, Outlines 2030 Medical Targets
Crhk · 1 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau (盧寵茂) informed the Legislative Council's relevant committee on Monday that the Five-Year Plan's 22 main indicators include three healthcare-related targets. Per capita public health recurrent expenditure is projected to rise continuously from 2024/25 through 2030, while the doctor-to-population ratio is targeted to increase from 2.25 per 1,000 in 2025 to 2.43 per 1,000 in 2030. The government also aims to lower premature death risk from four major non-communicable diseases from 7.3% in 2024 to 6.9% in 2030. The Policy Address proposes adding approximately 220,000 family medicine outpatient slots annually starting next year, with existing services handling nearly 7 million consultations annually. Lawmakers expressed concerns about the timeline for new medical graduates to contribute to services and the absence of a nurse staffing ratio in the plan.
Key Points
- The Five-Year Plan establishes 22 main indicators, with three specifically related to healthcare and disease prevention
- Per capita public health recurrent expenditure is expected to rise continuously from 2024/25 to 2030
- The doctor-to-population ratio target for 2030 is 2.43 per 1,000, up from 2.25 in 2025, based on projections of student intake, attrition rates, and non-locally trained doctor imports
- Premature death risk from four major non-communicable diseases is projected to decline from 7.3% in 2024 to 6.9% in 2030
- The Policy Address proposes increasing family medicine outpatient capacity by approximately 220,000 slots annually starting next year, targeting areas with higher demand
Why It Matters
These targets reflect the government's dual challenge of managing rising healthcare costs while addressing chronic manpower shortages in the medical sector. The emphasis on family medicine and targeted service deployment suggests a shift toward preventive care, though questions remain about whether expanding training capacity can keep pace with an aging population's growing demand for services .
These targets reflect the government's dual challenge of managing rising healthcare costs while addressing chronic manpower shortages in the medical sector. The emphasis on family medicine and targeted service deployment suggests a shift toward preventive care, though questions remain about whether expanding training capacity can keep pace with an aging population's growing demand for services .