Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau Defends Primary Care Push, Cites 30 Billion Savings
Crhk · 1 SOURCES1 day ago6 MIN
Summary
Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau (盧寵茂) has rebutted claims that the Hospital Authority is reducing hires of locally trained nurses, revealing that the HA's psychiatric nurses include no non-locally trained staff, and that many nursing graduates are choosing careers outside the public sector. In an interview with CRHK, Lo highlighted that only 2,500 of approximately 4,000 nursing graduates from last year applied for HA positions, with some opting for private healthcare, administrative roles, or civil service posts. He emphasized that enhancing primary healthcare services could substantially reduce public medical expenditure, projecting savings of 30 billion Hong Kong dollars through chronic disease management initiatives. The government's first five-year development plan includes 22 key performance indicators, with three related to healthcare and aligned with the nation's 15th Five-Year Plan.
Key Points
- Last year saw 4,000 nursing graduates, yet only 2,500 applied for Hospital Authority positions, with others joining private healthcare or civil service
- Public hospital doctor attrition rate has improved from nearly 10 percent to 4.4 percent, meeting the five-year plan target
- District Health Centres have grown to over 600,000 members, a 40 percent increase year-on-year, with the five-year plan targeting 1 million
- The Chronic Disease Co-care Scheme has enrolled 260,000 participants, with 40 percent of screened individuals found to have hypertension, hyperglycemia, or hyperlipidemia
- University research commissioned by the government indicates the chronic disease program could reduce public healthcare spending by 30 billion Hong Kong dollars
Why It Matters
The shift from treatment-focused to health management-oriented healthcare represents a fundamental transformation in Hong Kong's medical strategy, potentially easing pressure on overstretched public hospitals. With District Health Centre membership set to double and chronic disease prevention proving cost-effective, this approach could reshape how Hong Kong's aging population accesses care while safeguarding the sustainability of public medical expenditure .
The shift from treatment-focused to health management-oriented healthcare represents a fundamental transformation in Hong Kong's medical strategy, potentially easing pressure on overstretched public hospitals. With District Health Centre membership set to double and chronic disease prevention proving cost-effective, this approach could reshape how Hong Kong's aging population accesses care while safeguarding the sustainability of public medical expenditure .