Month: January 2026

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Chan Hak-kan and a reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (January 21):

Question:

Currently, eight of Hong Kong’s 18 districts, including Tai Po and Sha Tin, have yet to set up District Health Centres (DHCs). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the expenditure, staffing establishment, number of members, service capacity targets and achievement rates for each of the operational DHCs and DHC Expresses (DHCEs) in each of the past three years; the respective numbers of activities, seminars, health risk assessments and various programmes (such as the Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme) organised by these DHCs for primary to tertiary disease prevention services, along with the respective number of participants;

(2) whether the Government will expedite the development of the Tai Po DHC which is scheduled for completion in 2031, promptly finalise the site selection and completion timetable for the Sha Tin DHC, and consider establishing additional DHCEs within public housing estates in Shatin district to enhance public accessibility; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3) the Government’s projected reduction in the number of patients and expenditure involved in secondary and tertiary healthcare (namely hospital and specialist care, as well as specialised care) following the establishment of DHCs in various districts; whether performance indicators have been established in this regard?

Reply:

President,

     The Primary Healthcare Commission is progressively expanding the district health network with District Health Centres and District Health Centre Expresses (collectively referred to as DHCs) serving as hubs in accordance with the Primary Healthcare Blueprint (Blueprint), with a view to providing comprehensive, coherent and people-oriented multidisciplinary services, including chronic disease screening and management, family doctor pairing, nursing and allied health support, health risk assessment, community rehabilitation and health promotion. Prior to the commencement of District Health Centre operation, District Health Centre Expresses started to provide services of the same kind, enabling citizens to benefit earlier. The main differences between the two lie in the scale of facilities, site selection, and manpower allocation, while their functions are the same.

     My reply to the question raised by the Hon Chan Hak-kan is as follows:

(1) The expenditure of DHCs, including provisions for service contracts, site maintenance and rental cost, in the past three financial years is at Annex I. The information on staff establishment in 2025-26 is at Annex II. The cumulative number of attendances of all DHCs in Hong Kong exceeds 3 600 000, which includes health promotion/education, health risk assessment, screening, chronic disease management, with details at Annex III. 

     DHCs promote the “Family Doctor for All” concept. Following the introduction of the Chronic Disease Co-care Pilot Scheme (CDCC Pilot Scheme) in 2023, the number of new DHC members per year significantly increased from around 2 900 in 2019-20 to approximately 153 500 in 2024-25. To date, the cumulative membership of DHCs has reached 485 200. All DHCs attained the service volume targets in 2024-25.

     The screening of “three highs” under the CDCC Pilot Scheme has shown initial effectiveness. As at December 17 last year, around 185 200 citizens have enrolled in the CDCC Pilot Scheme. Among those, approximately 112 300 participants (i.e. about 60 per cent) have completed the screenings (Note 1), of which around 48 000 (i.e. about 40 per cent) have been diagnosed with prediabetes (Note 2), diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HT) or dyslipidaemia. The latter participants can proceed to the treatment phase and will be subsidised by the Government to receive multidisciplinary follow-up in order to achieve the goal of “early identification and early treatment”.

(2) The DHCs have achieved comprehensive coverage across all 18 districts of Hong Kong since 2022. The Health Bureau will continuously review the site selection of DHCs, taking into account the service model, demographic structure and distribution, demand, etc., with a view to providing convenient and district-based primary healthcare services.

     The Tai Po District Health Centre Express currently operates eight service points. During the relief work of the Tai Po Wang Fuk Court fire, it instantly deployed nurses to support the medical stations at temporary shelters, and also co-ordinated over 500 volunteer healthcare professionals for the provision of onsite medical assistance. Subsequently, it arranged case management primary healthcare services for affected residents relocated to different districts together with all DHCs in Hong Kong, which include pairing with free consultation services provided by Chinese medicine practitioners, doctors, dentists and psychological support, as well as co-ordinating arrangements for follow-up appointments and medication refills at the Hospital Authority.

     The Government plans to construct a community health centre building at the ex-Jockey Club swimming pool site at On Pong Road, and designate it as the site for the Tai Po District Health Centre. The Government is currently reviewing the building facilities arrangement and service design in light of the feedback from the Tai Po District Council (DC) last September, with an aim to ensuring the proposal meets community needs and is cost-effective. When the facilities are finalised, the works department will review and plan the implementation timetable for the project. We will strive to implement the project as early as possible.

    The Sha Tin District Health Centre Express currently has two service points, and is anticipated to establish a third service point at Lek Yuen Health Centre in the second quarter of this year at the earliest. In the longer term, it is tentatively planned to establish the Sha Tin District Health Centre in the Joint-user Complex for Community Facilities at Shan Mei Street, Fo Tan. This project received the endorsement of the Sha Tin DC in October 2021. Prior to the establishment of the District Health Centre, the Government will closely monitor the service needs and explore the addition or expansion of service points.

(3) The district health network is a vital component within the primary healthcare system. During the medical support efforts following Wang Fuk Court fire, DHCs have demonstrated their pivotal role as a hub to provide personalised case management primary healthcare services for affected residents, offering convenient and comprehensive support. By providing timely, appropriate and proper care within the community, and co-ordinating access to public healthcare, private healthcare and multidisciplinary medical services such as Chinese medicine and dental service for residents in need, this not only alleviates pressure on hospital services, but also delivers people-oriented and compassionate support at the community level.

     As set out in the Blueprint, the development of primary healthcare may delay and alleviate the healthcare burden on secondary and tertiary healthcare brought about by an ageing population and thus slow down the rate of increase in healthcare expenditure in the long run.

     Taking the CDCC Pilot Scheme as an example, the preliminary analysis conducted by a local university research team indicated that the CDCC Pilot Scheme performed well in terms of health benefits and cost-effectiveness. Participants’ health conditions improved overall: after six months of participating in the Scheme, the average glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) level of DM patients dropped from 7.8 per cent to 6.8 per cent; while the average systolic blood pressure of HT patients decreased from 151 mmHg to 136 mmHg. Based on a modelled scenario of 200 000 participants, it was expected that the Scheme could prevent approximately 9 000 cases of cardiovascular diseases and 11 000 deaths, thereby gaining approximately 54 000 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and saving $2.7 billion in health expenditure. 

     Taking Phase I of the Breast Cancer Screening Pilot Programme (BCSPP) as another example, from 2021 to 2024, over 37 000 women aged between 44 and 69 at moderate and average risk have received breast cancer risk assessment. The BCSPP showed that 97 per cent of breast cancer cases identified through breast cancer screening were at early stages, i.e. stage I or stage II. The risk-based screening can enhance the recovery rate of breast cancer patients through early detection and treatment, and will also lower the medical cost.

     We will continue to advance primary healthcare initiatives and evaluate their effectiveness to ensure that primary healthcare development enhances public health and fosters the sustainable development of the entire healthcare system. Thank you, President.

Note 1: The CDCC Pilot Scheme screened for DM and HT in the initial phase (before March 28, 2025), and was later expanded to include blood lipid screening. Therefore, some of the participants who completed the screening were screened for DM and HT only, while the rest were screened for the “three highs”.

Note 2: Prediabetes with glycated haemoglobin level of 6.0 to 6.4 per cent or fasting plasma glucose level of 6.1 to 6.9 mmol/L.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by the Hon Lam Chun-sing and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (January 21):

Question:

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Online reservations for the direction conference to be held on February 5 by the independent committee set up in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po will start from 10am tomorrow.

The direction conference will be held at 10am at the City Gallery in Central, where Committee Chairman David Lok will give directions on the subsequent hearings.

The proceedings will be broadcast simultaneously in transmission areas set up on the ground floor of City Gallery and in the Lecture Theatre of the Hong Kong Central Library. A total of about 400 seats will be available for the public.

Individuals who wish to observe the direction conference are required to make an online reservation in advance through the submission of a pre-registration form from 10am tomorrow to 10am on January 25.

The Committee Secretariat will allocate seats on a first-come, first-served basis according to the system’s record of the time that the pre-registration forms are received.

Successful registrants will receive a “Confirmation of Successful Registration” issued by the Secretariat of the Committee by February 3. Each person can only pre-register once. Duplicate registrations will not be processed.

There will not be any presentation of evidence or examination of witnesses in the direction conference.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

President Lai confers decoration on former Czech Parliament Chamber of Deputies Speaker Markéta Pekarová Adamová
On the afternoon of January 20, President Lai Ching-te conferred the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon upon Markéta Pekarová Adamová, former speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, in recognition of her long-term, outstanding contributions to deepening the friendship between Taiwan and the Czech Republic. In remarks, President Lai indicated that in recent years, cooperation between Taiwan and the Czech Republic in trade, investment, technology, and aviation has continued to deepen, demonstrating that the Taiwan-Czech partnership is not only built on shared values, but also has substantial and long-term economic potential. The president expressed hope that both sides will create more opportunities for cooperation and write new chapters in the deep friendship between Taiwan and the Czech Republic as it continues to grow.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
Firstly, on behalf of the people of Taiwan, I would like to extend a warm welcome to our dear friend former Speaker Adamová on her return to Taiwan. It was also a great honor for me just now to confer the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon upon her on behalf of our government to thank her for her outstanding contributions to deepening the friendship between Taiwan and the Czech Republic over the years.
I remember the determination then-Speaker Adamová showed three years ago when she led a delegation of more than 160 people to Taiwan, despite facing great external pressure. The visit marked a new milestone in bilateral relations. Speaking during the trip, she emphasized that Taiwan and the Czech Republic were in the same boat. Today, her words still resonate throughout Taiwanese society.
In 2023, then-Speaker Adamová and I visited the Net Zero City Expo together. On that occasion, I cited her remarks, saying that Taiwan and the Czech Republic stand together now and will continue to stand together in any circumstance. Our meeting today at the Presidential Office serves as further proof that the friendship between Taiwan and the Czech Republic has endured over time and distance, growing ever stronger and deeper.
Former Speaker Adamová has long spoken up courageously on the international stage for peace in the Taiwan Strait and for Indo-Pacific security. Within the Czech parliament, she actively championed resolutions in support of Taiwan and our participation in international organizations. She also personally facilitated an exhibition by the National Palace Museum in the Czech Republic. These actions were all concrete demonstrations of solidarity with Taiwan, which our people will always cherish.
In recent years, cooperation between Taiwan and the Czech Republic in trade, investment, and technology has continued to deepen. We have signed numerous MOUs that are steadily yielding positive results. An increasing number of Taiwanese enterprises are expanding their investments in the Czech Republic, and collaboration in aviation and industry continues to strengthen. These achievements demonstrate that the Taiwan-Czech partnership is not only built on shared values, but also has substantial and long-term economic potential. Looking ahead, Taiwan will continue to work with the Czech Republic to create more opportunities for cooperation and write new chapters in our deep friendship as it continues to grow.
I would also like to touch upon former Speaker Adamová’s book, Nejsem z cukru ani ze železa (Made of Neither Sugar nor Iron), published last October. In it, she notes that exchanges between democracies and Taiwan are not designed to provoke China, but rather to fulfill a commitment to democracy and freedom. I am deeply touched by her conviction that democratic countries will not let Taiwan stand alone.
Although she is taking a step back from politics for now, I am confident that former Speaker Adamová will continue to be a key driving force behind Taiwan-Czech cooperation. I want to emphasize once again that Taiwan stands with the Czech Republic and all our democratic partners both now and in the future, and will continue to do so in any circumstance. In closing, I again welcome former Speaker Adamová to Taiwan and wish her a pleasant and productive stay.
Former Speaker Adamová then delivered remarks, saying that it is a great honor for her to receive the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon from President Lai, and that she accepts it with deep gratitude and great respect for Taiwan and its people.
Former Speaker Adamová stated that she comes from Czechia, a nation that knows from its own history how precious freedom is, and how important it is to defend democracy, human rights, and the right of every country to choose its own future. She said that this is why Taiwan holds a very special place in the hearts of the Czech people, who recognize in Taiwan a partner who shares their values, courage, and belief in an open and peaceful world.
The former speaker went on to say that Taiwan is an extraordinary country that is strong, innovative, and resilient, but also open, kind, and deeply human. She said that everywhere she goes in Taiwan, she feels the warmth, dignity, and determination of the Taiwanese people. Taiwan’s society, she said, proves that democracy can flourish even in challenging times, and that freedom is strongest when it is supported by responsibility and mutual respect. She then expressed her sincere support for Taiwan and its peaceful future, and stated that Taiwan deserves to live in security, dignity, and prosperity, free to shape its own destiny and contribute fully to the global community.
Former Speaker Adamová stated that the decoration she received is not only a great personal honor for her, but also a symbol of friendship between Taiwan and Czechia, and a commitment to continue building bridges between our countries, our cultures, and our people. To close, she thanked President Lai once again for the extraordinary honor, and expressed hope that Taiwan will continue to thrive in peace, freedom, and confidence.
Also in attendance at the ceremony were Representative of the Czech Economic and Cultural Office David Steinke and Head of the Taiwan Office of the European Values Center for Security Policy Marcin Mateusz Jerzewski.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Financial Secretary Paul Chan fulfilled various engagements on day two of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland yesterday, as he promoted Hong Kong’s advantages and opportunities.

In the morning, Mr Chan attended a Special Address delivered by State Council Vice Premier He Lifeng.

Mr Chan also attended a breakfast meeting hosted by digital asset company Animoca Brands, where he engaged in discussions with leaders from the financial and innovation sectors on how blockchain applications, including tokenised assets and genomic data analytics, are driving transformation and development in capital markets.

The finance chief said that, as an international financial centre, Hong Kong has adopted a proactive yet prudent approach to the development of digital assets and follows the principle of “same activity, same risk, same regulation” to promote responsible and sustainable market development.

Explaining that a licensing regime for stablecoins is expected to be launched later this year, he highlighted the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government’s leadership role in promoting tokenisation, including the issuance of three batches of tokenised green bonds amounting to around US$2.1 billion. In addition, he said, regulatory sandboxes have been introduced to encourage the development of innovative applications.

Later in the day, Mr Chan met a number of officials from different economies and regional organisations to exchange views on the global political and economic landscape, ways of strengthening collaboration on trade, finance, industrial development and digital transformation, and other issues of mutual concern.

These officials included Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Egypt’s Minister of Investment & Foreign Trade Hassan El Khatib; and Switzerland’s State Secretary for International Finance at the Federal Department of Finance Daniela Stoffel.

In addition, Mr Chan met World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to exchange views on the current and future international trade landscape.

His engagements for the day also included a meeting with Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of technology investment firm Vista Equity Partners Robert Smith.

At the meeting, Mr Chan learnt about developments in the firm’s software and data businesses, and encouraged Mr Smith to consider expanding the company’s presence in Hong Kong.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (January 20) reminded all female Hong Kong residents born between 2004 and 2008 who have not completed their human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination to promptly receive free HPV vaccination at designated venues. Besides, women aged 25 to 64 who have had sexual experience should undergo regular cervical screenings. Through “early prevention, early detection and early treatment”, they can reduce their risk of developing cervical cancer, which is one of the 10 most common cancers and a leading cause of cancer deaths among women in Hong Kong.
 
HPV vaccination
———————-

     “HPV vaccination is among the most effective measures for cervical cancer prevention, especially for females who have never been exposed to HPV infection, i.e. before their first sexual encounter. Since the 2019/20 school year, the DH has been providing free HPV vaccinations to eligible Primary schoolgirls under the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme, and a high vaccination rate of over 90 per cent has been maintained in recent years. This significantly lowers the risk of cervical cancer in Hong Kong females,” the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui said.
      
     The DH launched a one-off HPV Vaccination Catch-up Programme (Catch-up Programme) in December 2024, offering free catch-up vaccinations to female Hong Kong residents born between 2004 and 2008 who have not completed their HPV vaccination. Under the Catch-up Programme, each eligible person can receive two doses of free vaccination, while immunocompromised persons have to receive three doses of vaccination (all three doses are free of charge).
      
     “The Catch-up Programme is implemented in three phases. With the support of secondary schools and post-secondary institutions, the estimated first-dose HPV vaccine coverage rates of eligible secondary schoolgirls and post-secondary institutions female students in the first two phases were 85 per cent and 68 per cent respectively (Note: These figures combine doses administered under the Catch-up Programme and self-arranged vaccinations). The final phrase of the Catch-up Programme has commenced in June last year, targeting female Hong Kong residents born between 2004 and 2008 who have completed their studies in Hong Kong. The estimated coverage is about 55 per cent within half a year. Overall, approximately 50 000 doses of vaccine have been administrated so far under the Catch-up Programme. Although the estimated overall coverage across all three phases has exceeded 60 per cent at present, I do not want ‘anyone to be left behind’. The CHP has issued a letter to post-secondary institutions again to urge them to assist in encouraging eligible students to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Through the Primary Healthcare Commission (PHCC), the CHP has also urged family doctors to assist in encouraging eligible working female to receive HPV vaccination,” Dr Tsui said.
      
     Female Hong Kong residents born between 2004 and 2008 who have not completed their HPV vaccination only need to register with eHealth, and can schedule an appointment through the website or by calling 2855 1333 to receive a free HPV vaccination at Women Wellness Satellites (WWSs) or designated District Health Centres (DHCs)/DHC Expresses (DHCEs) under the PHCC of the Health Bureau. Females enrolled in local secondary schools or post-secondary institutions can contact their student affairs offices for details.
      
     “The one-off Catch-up Programme lasting approximately for two years offers free HPV vaccination. Details can be found on the DH’s website. Eligible female Hong Kong residents who do not participate in the Catch-up Programme will need to pay for vaccinations out-of-pocket in future. The cost of vaccination may exceed $1,200 per dose,” Dr Tsui remarked.
 
Cervical screening
———————–
 
     “Beyond vaccination, regular screening serves as another line of defence. Most cervical cancers are caused by persistent infection with high-risk HPV and infection with HPV or early stages of cervical cancer may not have any noticeable symptoms. In 2023, 576 new cases of cervical cancer were diagnosed, accounting for 3.0 per cent of all new cancer cases in females. Cervical cancer was the seventh most common cancer among females in Hong Kong. In 2024, a total of 160 women died from cervical cancer, accounting for 2.5 per cent of female cancer deaths. Over the past decade, the age-standardised mortality rate for cervical cancer has remained largely stable after adjusting for population age structure, reflecting the achievements of screening and treatment advancements. However, the age-standardised incidence rate of cervical cancer has shown a slight upward trend in recent years, indicating that the threat of cervical cancer to women’s health should not be underestimated. Therefore, I urge women aged 25 to 64 who have had sexual experience to undergo regular cervical screening in order to promptly detect and treat early cervical pre-cancerous changes, thereby preventing cervical cancer and improving cure rates,” Dr Tsui said.
      
     The DH has implemented the Cervical Screening Programme since 2004. Cervical screening services are available at Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) of the DH, WWSs, as well as through non-governmental organisations and private healthcare providers. Common screening methods include HPV testing and/or a cytology examination (also called a cervical smear or pap smear) performed by healthcare professionals. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also recommended vaginal self-sampling for HPV testing as another reliable method for cervical screening. The latest Health Behaviour Survey of the DH revealed that about 50 per cent of eligible women had ever had cervical screening. The DH has been working closely with healthcare professionals to enhance the promotion of cervical screening through general education and clinical consultation, and to understand the barriers of the public to accept the screening. To echo WHO’s advice, starting in 2024, the DH initiated HPV testing of self-collected samples at 11 MCHCs to study the feasibility and acceptability of vaginal HPV self-sampling locally. Moreover, HPV testing of self-collected samples is planned to be rolled out in WWSs in the first quarter of 2026. Details will be announced later on the WWS’s website.
      
     It is important to note that there is currently insufficient scientific evidence in Hong Kong or internationally to support the use of self-collected menstrual blood or urine samples for cervical screenings. The DH will continue to review the latest scientific evidence.
      
     Women who wish to receive a cervical screening at MCHCs can schedule an appointment through the 24-hour hotline at 3166 6631, or contact WWSs via its website or 18 DHCs/DHCEs (website) for personalised primary healthcare services for women including cervical cancer screening. For further information on cervical cancer and screenings, please visit the DH’s website.