MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by the Hon Chan Siu-hung and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (October 7):

Question:

     There are views that smart motorways are important infrastructure for promoting the application of autonomous driving technology. The Government should, during the initial planning and design stages of the Northern Metropolis (NM), plan for the construction of smart motorways to tie in with the scale of autonomous vehicles and the development for their commercial operation, and should develop NM into a demonstration base for smart transport and autonomous driving. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it has estimated the length, in kilometres, of new public roads to be constructed in NM; whether the Government will plan for the construction of smart motorways in NM; if so, of the specific road sections to be covered as well as the relevant technical details and standards; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) whether the Government will incorporate the vehicle-road-cloud integrated system into the NM development plan and set clear targets (such as achieving a specific coverage in kilometres before 2030); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(3) whether it has assessed the requisite vehicle-to-everything and smart road infrastructure for promoting autonomous driving technology at Level 4 or above; whether the authorities will establish standards for the relevant infrastructure; if so, of the specific construction projects, technical specifications and the list of roads expected to be covered in the first phase; if not, the reasons for that; and

(4) whether the Government will expedite the promotion of digital transformation of motorways and the construction of smart motorways, as well as set clear targets (such as achieving digitalisation on strategic routes and major motorways before 2035); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

The Government is actively promoting smart mobility and the development of smart motorways, and has been closely monitoring the advancement of autonomous driving technology and Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X), with a view to further enhancing road safety and transport efficiency.

Having consulted the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD), the reply to the question raised by the Member is as follows:

(1) and (4) Under the “Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal Corridors” infrastructure layout, the Government is expediting the implementation of major road projects relating to the Northern Metropolis. Based on the estimates of projects currently under construction or in the planning stage, nearly 170 kilometres of new public roads will be constructed in the Northern Metropolis, including approximately 24 kilometres of major roads connecting various development nodes within the Northern Metropolis, as well as approximately 144 kilometres of local road networks within the New Development Areas (NDAs).

In accordance with the recommendations in the Transport Strategy Blueprint, the Government is progressively implementing smart motorway management on major roads, including those within the Northern Metropolis. To this end, the Highways Department (HyD) is carrying out the design for the approximately 24-kilometre-long Northern Metropolis Highway in accordance with smart motorway standards, of which the Northern Metropolis Highway (San Tin Section) is expected to open in 2034, two years ahead of schedule. As for existing major roads, the CEDD is also seizing the opportunity arising from the road widening works of the San Tin Highway (San Tin Section) and the Fanling Highway (Kwu Tung Section) to prioritise the incorporation of smart motorway elements into the approximately 7.4-kilometre road sections, which are expected to be completed in 2031.

The Transport Department (TD) will continue to liaise closely with relevant departments to progressively implement smart motorway management on existing major roads, as well as those at an early planning stage, leveraging technology to enhance the transport efficiency and resilience of the road network. At the same time, to take forward smart motorway management, the TD is updating relevant technical guidelines for reference by the industry, which are expected to be completed within this year. This includes establishing criteria for introducing smart motorways for major roads and the equipment configuration requirements under different application scenarios (such as the Automatic Incident Detection System using AI technology, and the lane control signals and variable message signs required to tie in with various smart motorway applications). As for the local roads within NDAs, the Government will also make good use of new technologies to improve traffic efficiency and enhance the pedestrian environment, such as installing the Real-time Adaptive Traffic Signal System (RTATSS) at suitable new junctions.

In addition, the TD will study the setting up of a Traffic Management Platform that will integrate traffic and transport data, leverage big data analytics and AI technology to predict traffic fluctuations, identify bottlenecks, and formulate contingency plans, thereby assisting in traffic management and transport planning. In the future, the traffic data collected from the implementation of smart motorway management for major roads will be integrated with other traffic data on the Traffic Management Platform to achieve seamless traffic management.

Regarding the digital transformation of highway and bridge infrastructure, the HyD has fully adopted Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology in major road infrastructure projects such as the Central Kowloon Bypass (Yau Ma Tei Section), the Tsing Lung Bridge at the southern end of Route 11, and the Northern Metropolis Highway, to enhance precision and reduce design conflicts. High-precision 3D as-built digital models will also be delivered upon completion of the projects. These digital models will be integrated into the HyD’s asset management information system to establish accurate digital structural records for highways, bridges, and tunnels. Meanwhile, the HyD has introduced the “Digital Twin” technology at the Tsing Ma Bridge, incorporating 3D digital model analysis and enabling real-time monitoring of the traffic load distribution, structural condition and responses of the bridge so as to ensure its structural safety and integrity. The “Digital Twin” technology will be progressively rolled out to other long-span bridges, such as the Kap Shui Mun Bridge as well as other new main bridges (including Tsing Lung Bridge) in Hong Kong. In terms of road maintenance, the HyD is implementing smart inspections through the application of the Road Defect Detection System (RDDS) powered by AI and the Road Condition Assessment System (RCAS) utilising laser scanning technology. These systems automatically identify road defects to replace traditional manual inspections. Additionally, the Road Maintenance Monitoring System (RMMS) is applied to fully digitise the monitoring and administrative work of road maintenance. To expand digital transformation to other road assets, the HyD is initiating a preliminary study on the digital transformation of highway to formulate a roadmap and plan short-, medium-, and long-term work schedules. The study is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2027.

(2) and (3) V2X technology facilitates real-time data exchange between vehicles and their surrounding environments through installation of roadside units, thereby enhancing the ability of autonomous vehicles to cope with more complex traffic conditions. With the gradual development of autonomous driving technology, the current trends of autonomous driving primarily tend toward “single-vehicle intelligence” (i.e. enabling vehicles to achieve autonomous driving capabilities primarily by relying on onboard sensors, such as cameras and radars installed on the vehicle itself). Nevertheless, in terms of planning, the TD will retain flexibility and continue to maintain communication with relevant departments to explore reserving adequate space in NDAs (such as making use of the wider roads and footpaths in the Northern Metropolis) to facilitate the installation of relevant facilities for V2X technology when its development, standards and cost-effectiveness mature.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Housing Bureau today (October 6) reminded owners of the eight buildings from Blocks A to H of Wang Fuk Court (WFC) in Tai Po, who have returned the duly signed “Letter of Acceptance” on or before August 31, that regardless of which option has been chosen, they are required to complete the execution of the Agreement for Sale and Purchase (ASP) for the sale of their WFC flats on or before the deadline on October 15.

If owners are unable to sign the ASP for the sale of their WFC flats in time due to special circumstances (such as being unable to clarify the title of the WFC flat or requiring a longer time to handle probate matters), the Government may consider making appropriate arrangements on a case-by-case basis at the Government’s discretion while balancing empathy, reason and law, with priority given to empathy. Owners concerned will be informed before the deadline accordingly.

The flat selection for the Special Sales Exercise (SSE) for WFC Owners commenced on September 29. Applicants who have signed the ASP to confirm the sale of the titles of relevant WFC flats to the Government legally will be invited for flat selection. The Housing Bureau has earlier commenced the issuance of invitation letters in batches according to the priority sequence determined by the computer-generated random ballot. Applicants will successively attend flat selection sessions to select and purchase the units offered under the SSE in accordance with the dates and timeslots specified in the letters. The entire flat selection process is expected to be completed by the end of November.

If, due to the special circumstances as mentioned above, WFC owners have not yet signed the ASP for the titles of the relevant WFC flats, as long as such WFC owners complete the execution of the ASP before the end of the flat selection period of the SSE, they will still be invited for flat selection. If the titles of the relevant WFC flats have not yet been assigned to the Government, a new flat under the SSE will first be reserved for such WFC owners only during the flat selection stage. The Hong Kong Housing Authority or the Hong Kong Housing Society will enter into an ASP or a Preliminary ASP with such WFC owners for purchasing the new flat only after the completion and execution of assignment of the titles of the relevant WFC flats to the Government.

With the deadline approaching, the Engagement Team co-ordinated by the Housing Bureau is stepping up contact with owners who have not yet signed the ASP for the sale of their WFC flats to provide the assistance required. The Engagement Team will continue to communicate with WFC owners. If owners have any enquiries, they may contact their designated Engagement Team member or call the hotline at 2129 8133. Owners may also visit the dedicated website for the Wang Fuk Court long-term housing arrangements plan (www.hb.gov.hk/wfc) for further details.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The prize presentation ceremony for the Best Landscape Award for Private Property Development 2026 (the Award), organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), was held today (October 7). Sixteen private properties were presented with Gold Awards in recognition of their outstanding landscape design and quality horticultural maintenance. Among them, Wonderland Villas in the Large-scale Domestic Property category was the winner of the new Supreme Gold Award this year. For the new category of Subsidised Sale Housing introduced this year, Fung Tak Estate was the Gold Award winner.

     The biennial Award is one of the LCSD’s major activities to promote greening, with 220 nominations received this year. Addressing the ceremony, the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan, expressed appreciation to the winning projects for tailoring the designs to the practical contexts, which skilfully combined the plant forms and colours with the natural terrain, connecting buildings to living spaces naturally while enhancing the surrounding landscape.

     Ms Chan said that the LCSD is curating thematic floral gardens across the 18 districts in Hong Kong. With thematic planting, the gardens are presenting dazzling seas of flowers to welcome local residents as well as tourists. Meanwhile, the district public landscaped areas are complementing the greening efforts of private properties, jointly creating a pleasant home for all.

     In addition to the Supreme Gold Award and 16 Gold Awards, 36 Merit Awards and 14 Environmental Efficiency Awards were presented at the ceremony to commend awardee organisations for their green efforts and enhancing public green awareness. The list of winners is available at the LCSD webpage www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/green/property/2026/awards.html.

     The prize presentation ceremony was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Other officiating guests included representatives from the co-organisers. They were the President of the Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects, Dr Chan Yin-lun; the President of the Institute of Horticulture (Hong Kong), Ms Florence Tsui; the Chairman of the Professional Green Building Council, Professor Yuen Pak-leung; the Chairman of the Hong Kong Green Building Council, Dr Cheung Tin-cheung; the President of the Hong Kong Association of Property Management Companies Limited, Mr Kevin Chu; the Senior Vice-President of the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors, Mr Raymond Kam; and Council Member of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects Mr Jeff Tung.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by the Hon Nixie Lam and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (October 7):

Question:

     Regarding the development of primary healthcare services, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the latest numbers of doctors, dentists and Chinese Medicine practitioners among the 18 districts across the territory who have, to date, enrolled in the Primary Care Directory, and the respective percentages of such numbers in the numbers of the relevant healthcare personnel in Hong Kong, with a breakdown by District Council district;

(2) whether it has compiled statistics on the respective family doctor coverage rates for people aged 0 to 14, 15 to 64 and 65 or above among the 18 districts across the territory, calculated on the basis of the population structure of each district in Hong Kong; how the authorities formulate strategies and measures for the matching of family doctors in response to the health needs of these different age groups;

(3) whether it has plans to expand the Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme to cover more chronic diseases; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(4) whether it will establish a mechanism for the co-ordinated assessment of “Family Doctor for All” and population policies (such as labour force protection and elderly care planning), and how it will further enhance primary healthcare policies to better address population challenges such as an ageing population and labour shortages; if so, of the specific measures and timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and

(5) as the Chief Executive proposed in the 2026 Policy Address that the Primary Healthcare Commission would gradually extend its free pre-pregnancy, antenatal and postnatal classes to all District Health Centres (DHCs) and DHC Expresses in Hong Kong, apart from organising seminars and providing relevant information, whether the authorities will, by drawing on the experience of the Mainland, explore the introduction of further services, such as free home visits during the first week after childbirth to provide postnatal women with postnatal care, neonatal care and feeding guidance, or the development of a one-stop official mobile application that consolidates information on pregnancy planning, pregnancy and the postnatal period, while offering real-time online advice (e.g. on healthcare, pregnancy, feeding, infant swallowing difficulties); if so, of the specific measures; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     Since the release of the Primary Healthcare Blueprint (Blueprint), the Government has been committed to implementing the reform measures set out therein and steadily advancing the development of the primary healthcare system. Building on this, the Government has further put forward the promotion of high-quality development of primary healthcare in the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) (Hong Kong’s Five-Year Plan) and the Chief Executive’s 2026 Policy Address (Policy Address). Following the directions of improving the governance system, expanding the service network and coverage, strengthening public-private collaboration and increasing resource allocation, the Government seeks to build a sustainable primary healthcare governance system, and to develop the Primary Healthcare Co-care Network and the District Health Network in a co-ordinated manner. In consultation with the Primary Healthcare Commission (PHC Commission), the Department of Health (DH) and the Hospital Authority (HA), the consolidated reply to the respective parts of the question raised by the Hon Nixie Lam is as follows:

(1) to (4) The Government’s vision is for all members of the public and their family members to be paired with their own family doctors. This is the ultimate goal that the Government strives to achieve under “Family Doctor for All”, the fundamental guiding principle for primary healthcare policy. In fact, family doctors are the main provider of primary care. Since the publication of the consultation paper of “Building a Healthy Tomorrow”, the Government has been promoting this concept, emphasising the role of family doctor as the patient’s first contact point in providing preventive and continuous care. Subsequently, the Government launched the Primary Care Directory (Directory) to encourage members of the public to receive preventive care and manage their health through private family doctors.

     The Government released the Blueprint in December 2022, setting out forward-looking, holistic and pragmatic strategies towards the ultimate goal of establishing family doctors as the personal health managers of all citizens. The Blueprint puts forward two key measures: first, to encourage all primary healthcare service providers to join the Directory so as to ensure the supply and quality of primary healthcare services; and second, to foster a long-term family doctor-patient relationship between the patient and his/her family doctor. Along this direction, the Government has been, on the one hand, expanding service provision and improving the primary healthcare network, and on the other hand, encouraging members of the public to pair with their family doctors and proactively manage their health through scheme designs and subsidisation arrangements.

     On expanding service provision and improving the primary healthcare network, the Government utilises District Health Centres/Expresses (collectively referred to as DHCs) as the hubs for co-ordinating and supporting primary healthcare services, where family doctors work with nurses and other allied health professionals as multi-disciplinary teams to formulate comprehensive, continuous and holistic personal healthcare plans. Hong Kong’s Five-Year Plan stipulates that the Government will strive to substantially complete the establishment of DHCs across all 18 districts within five years, bringing the cumulative DHC membership to one million, thereby laying a district-based service foundation for the progressive expansion of family doctor pairing.

     The Blueprint proposed driving all primary healthcare service providers to join the Directory, and expanding the Directory to cover more allied health professionals beyond doctors, dentists and Chinese medicine practitioners, including the development of sub-directories for physiotherapists, occupational therapists and pharmacists. As recommended in the Blueprint, the Government established sub-directories for occupational therapists and physiotherapists under the Directory in June 2025, and is now preparing for the establishment of a sub-directory for pharmacists to tie in with the Community Pharmacy Programme to be launched at the end of this year. The Government will continue to develop sub-directories for other allied health professionals, such as optometrists, in phases, promoting the provision of comprehensive primary healthcare services to members of the public by multi-disciplinary teams.

     The Blueprint also required that all healthcare professionals providing primary healthcare services must be enlisted in the Directory, so as to ensure that they have participated in continuing medical education or continuing professional development programmes applicable to their professions, thereby enhancing quality assurance. In line with the recommendations of the Blueprint, the PHC Commission has implemented in phases the requirement for doctors, dentists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists participating in Government-subsidised primary healthcare programmes to join the Directory. In addition, the Blueprint recommended requiring all primary healthcare service providers to use eHealth, so as to promote continuity of healthcare services and cross-sectoral collaboration. To this end, the PHC Commission has also implemented the requirement that dentists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists listed in the Directory must join eHealth. The Government will continue to extend the above two requirements to other primary healthcare service providers in phases. In this connection, the Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint also proposed strengthening the role of Chinese medicine in primary healthcare; in future, Chinese medicine practitioners participating in Government-subsidised primary healthcare programmes will be required to register with the Directory. The Government is drawing up the relevant plans and listening to the views of the sector, and the specific arrangements will be announced in due course.

     Driven by the above measures, as well as the PHC Commission’s publicity and encouragement through various channels, the overall number of primary healthcare service providers listed in the Directory has continued to rise. The numbers as at August 31, 2026 are set out in the table below. Compared with the end of 2022 when the Blueprint was released, the number of enlisted doctors had increased by more than 50 per cent, while the number of enlisted dentists had increased by more than 5.5 times.
 

Primary healthcare service providers listed in the Directory	Total number listed in the Directory (as at August 31, 2026)
Doctors	4 173
Dentists	1 501
Chinese medicine practitioners	2 787
Occupational therapists	196
Physiotherapists	872

Note: Enrolment in the Directory is a territory-wide arrangement under which primary healthcare service providers in all districts may enrol. As some service providers practise at more than one location, figures broken down by District Council district are not provided to avoid double counting.

     The PHC Commission will continue to encourage primary healthcare service providers to enrol in the Directory and enhance service quality, and will assist members of the public in pairing with family doctors through DHCs across the territory. In the long run, as recommended in the Blueprint, the Government will transform the existing Directory into the Primary Care Register (Register), which will serve as a central register for all primary healthcare professionals, and will also prescribe qualification requirements and designated primary healthcare training as one of the conditions for continued listing.

     On the other hand, in promoting family doctor pairing, the Government strengthens public confidence in primary healthcare services through the quality assurance requirements of the Directory, and establishes long-term doctor-patient relationships between patients and family doctors through various programmes. Among them, the Chronic Disease Co-Care Scheme (CDCC Scheme) requires participants to pair with a family doctor of their own choice as a condition for joining, so as to achieve chronic-disease targeted, family-centric, continuous, coherent and holistic primary healthcare services.

     To complement the family doctor-patient pairing mechanism, the Government will implement the Community Drug Formulary and Community Pharmacy Programme. Participants who have paired with a family doctor may, according to their clinical conditions, be prescribed drugs listed in the Community Drug Formulary by their family doctors. The Government will lower drug costs through joint procurement and enhance drug accessibility and affordability through community pharmacies, thereby alleviating participants’ burden of long-term medication. The Community Pharmacy Programme will be implemented in four districts starting from the end of this year and will be progressively expanded to the whole territory.

     The Government launched the CDCC Scheme at the end of 2023, providing screening, with DHCs as hubs, for persons aged 45 or above who are at higher risk of chronic diseases. Eligible participants are required to pair with a family doctor of their own choice to receive screening, with long-term follow-up care by their paired family doctors. Through targeted government subsidies and the co-payment principle, the CDCC Scheme draws upon private healthcare resources in piloting the family doctor-patient pairing mechanism.

     To encourage participants to maintain a long-term relationship with their paired family doctors, the Scheme has put in place an incentive mechanism for collaborative doctor-patient partnership. Family doctors may receive incentives when the prerequisites are met (i.e. where participants blood glucose and blood pressure control reach the target levels), supporting their continuous care for participants’ health in the community, while participants who meet the targets may also enjoy a reduction in the co-payment for medical consultation. The Scheme also encourages family doctors to follow up on participants’ health conditions; family doctors may manage both the chronic diseases and other episodic illnesses of participants during any subsidised consultation.

     The CDCC Scheme has been well received since its launch, with the number of participants reaching the target nearly 10 months ahead of schedule. Building on the experience gained, the Government launched the Primary Healthcare Co-care Network (Co-care Network) in March 2026. With “Family Doctor for All” at its core, the Co-care Network promotes the Life Course Preventive Care Plan, under which family doctors formulate evidence-based preventive care strategies according to the health needs of members of the public at different life stages. The Co-care Network incorporates the screening and management of the “three highs” under the CDCC Scheme, as well as the hepatitis B screening and management services under the Hepatitis B Co-care Scheme. The first phase spans five years, with a target participation of around 700 000 persons. The Co-care Network likewise requires participants to pair, according to their individual needs, with family doctors of their own choice to take care of their health. As at September 23, 2026, 909 family doctors (covering 1 223 service points) were participating in the Co-care Network, and about 391 700 DHC members (including Co-care Network participants) had paired with family doctors.

     Meanwhile, to cater for the healthcare needs of underprivileged groups, the Government is working with the HA to reposition the HA’s primary healthcare services, such that its Family Medicine team serve as family doctors for underprivileged groups and provide them with comprehensive primary healthcare services under the Family Medicine service model. Selected Family Medicine Clinics (FMCs) in all 18 districts across the territory have been providing preventive screening and care services, covering the “three highs”, hepatitis B and women’s health, to eligible underprivileged groups. As at September 23, 2026, over 13 000 eligible underprivileged persons had received such services at FMCs, with continuous follow-up by the Family Medicine Out-patient (FMOP) healthcare teams. The Government will continue to enhance the service capacity and scope of FMOP services. According to the Policy Address, starting from 2027, the HA’s FMOP services will provide about 220 000 additional service quotas each year, including around 10 000 evening consultation slots. The Government will also strengthen the preventive screening and care services provided by selected FMCs for underprivileged groups, so that more underprivileged persons can receive continuous care delivered under the Family Medicine model.

     The overall development of primary healthcare has taken a significant step forward. Through the implementation of the above measures, the Government has introduced a co-payment model to encourage members of the public to take primary responsibility for their own health, and has progressively established a mechanism for pairing members of the public with family doctors of their own choice while encouraging both doctors and patients to maintain long-term relationships. The Government will continue to accumulate experience in driving primary healthcare development and steadily move towards the ultimate goal of “Family Doctor for All”, which includes defining the basic services of family doctors and clinics as well as the care provided to underprivileged groups by FMOP services, so as to deliver comprehensive, whole-person preventive services. The Government will progressively expand the Co-care Network to cover more chronic diseases, and incorporate women’s health services, cancer screening and vaccination, whilst continuing to enhance the quality of family doctor services.

     In addition, the PHC Commission is exploring the introduction of health programmes under the Co-care Network for occupations with higher health risks, with a view to addressing the health needs of the working population and enabling early identification of, and intervention in, health risks arising from the working environment or lifestyle habits, thereby helping to maintain the overall health and productivity of the labour force. In the longer term, the PHC Commission will also progressively integrate the Student Health Service under the DH into the primary healthcare system, so as to provide more coherent primary healthcare services for children and adolescents.

     The Report on Ageing Society Strategies (Report), published by the Government in September this year, pointed out that amid the continued ageing of the population and the long-term increase in healthcare demand, healthcare expenditure will continue to rise structurally. One of the strategic measures proposed in the Report is to strengthen primary healthcare services for the elderly in the community. Starting from October 5 this year, the PHC Commission has progressively implemented the integration of Elderly Health Centre services under the DH, increasing the number of service points and service capacity, providing more comprehensive health assessments and shortening waiting times. Elderly persons in need may be referred to family doctors under the Co-care Network for further professional assessment and follow-up, thereby encouraging more elderly persons to pair with family doctors.

     The above measures progressively cover groups at different life stages, from children and adolescents to the working population and the elderly. Together with the “Life‑course Health Promotion Strategy” to be published by the DH within this year, these measures encourage the public to accept primary responsibility for their own health and promote population-wide health management across different life stages.

     As regards long-term planning, as set out in the Report, the Government has commissioned the HA to assist in conducting the triennial healthcare manpower projection, so as to monitor the supply and demand of healthcare manpower in light of factors such as demographic and age structure shifts. The HA and the DH will also, as recommended in the Report, deepen the analysis and targeted research on different aspects of elderly healthcare services demand, so as to provide continuous evidence base for the long-term allocation of healthcare resources for elderly health care. In addition, the Government will complete a baseline health literacy survey among Hong Kong citizens in 2027. Relevant data obtained will provide a more comprehensive evidence base for the long-term planning of primary healthcare services, so as to continuously refine and expand the Co-care Network, encourage more members of the public to become DHC members and pair with family doctors, and, as the Directory continues to expand and transforms into the Register, enable more members of the public to receive multi-disciplinary, evidence-based, co-ordinated and coherent primary healthcare services.

(5) The Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) of the DH provide free antenatal services for local pregnant women, including regular antenatal check-ups, blood and other tests, vaccination, and health education related to pregnancy, breastfeeding, as well as infants and young children feeding. The Obstetrics and Gynaecology departments of the HA have also been providing antenatal classes for expectant mothers to help them cope with concerns arising at different stages of pregnancy. The antenatal services provided by the MCHCs under the DH are being integrated into the HA in phases, with the HA providing comprehensive antenatal services. The first phase commenced on July 6, 2026, involving the integration of antenatal services from 15 MCHCs into nine public hospitals. The second phase of the antenatal service integration will be implemented in 2027 and will involve services of the remaining three MCHCs and Prince of Wales Hospital. The exact date and related arrangement will be announced in due course.

     As regards postnatal services, for women who have given birth vaginally or by caesarean section without complications, the HA provides pain relief management, wound care (where necessary) and maternal and infant care before discharge, as well as support to enhance the mothers’ skills in caring for their babies. After discharge, they are referred to the MCHCs for postnatal follow-up. The MCHCs provide postnatal women with health assessments, physical examinations, individual counselling and health advice. The MCHCs also provide free health promotion and disease prevention services for infants and young children from birth to five years of age, including immunisation services, the Health and Developmental Surveillance Scheme, and parenting education on childcare. For pregnancies with complications, the HA will arrange for the postnatal care in hospital and provides follow-up services or treatment according to the specific needs of the women. The majority of locally born babies and their mothers receive services from the MCHCs within the first few days after discharge.

     In addition, the Government has been committed to promoting breastfeeding. 20 MCHCs have been accredited as Baby-Friendly Maternal and Child Health Centres, where trained healthcare staff provide postnatal women with information on breastfeeding, assess breastfeeding skills, offer appropriate advice and assistance in managing breastfeeding problems, with a view to fully encouraging and supporting breastfeeding. The remaining nine MCHCs are expected to complete accreditation within 2026-27. Furthermore, the MCHCs also provide support and encouragement to breastfeeding mothers in need through a peer support programme, in the form of mothers helping mothers.

     In support of the Government’s policy of encouraging and promoting healthy fertility, the PHC Commission launched free pre-pregnancy, antenatal and postnatal classes at the three Women Wellness Satellites and the Central and Western DHC in May 2026, where multi-disciplinary healthcare teams comprising doctors, dietitians and physiotherapists and others share various resources, care information and nutrition advice on the pre-pregnancy, antenatal and postnatal periods, so as to help women maintain a healthy lifestyle. These free classes will be extended in phases to all DHCs across the territory within this year.

     The DH has also revised the Funding and Service Agreement with the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong (FPAHK) to strengthen services and programmes that promote healthy fertility. The FPAHK has newly introduced Government-subvented pre-pregnancy health services, which include health consultation, dietary and lifestyle advice, health assessment, as well as arrangement of blood tests and other investigations. The FPAHK will also launch publicity within this year to promote healthy fertility.

     On information platforms, under the development of eHealth+, the eHealth mobile application is progressively becoming an integrated health management tool for all citizens of Hong Kong. At present, members of the public can access their personal health records and manage public healthcare programmes and services (such as DHCs) through the application. They can also register eHealth for their children through the “My Family” function to manage their children’s health, including accessing their children’s health records, browsing the parenting information provided by the DH for different developmental stages through the “Child Growth” function, recording their children’s growth data, and assessing and monitoring their children’s developmental progress.

     The Government will explore ways to strengthen support for postnatal mothers and newborn babies, including examining how to leverage the district health network’s role as a community hub for health information and services in order to provide more proactive support and follow-up services for women planning pregnancy and postnatal women, and, in conjunction with the development of eHealth+, exploring the feasibility of further integrating information on pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and postnatal period, so as to provide women with more comprehensive care and information.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Lam Wai-kong and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (October 7):

Question:

Earlier, the Government proposed lowering the age requirement for applicants for commercial vehicle (CV) driving licences to submit medical examination certificates from 70 to 65, and shortening the validity period of full driving licences issued to applicants aged 65 or above (for example, licence applicants aged 70 or above would be issued with driving licences valid for one year). There is a view that this legislative proposal would directly affect the livelihoods and careers of elderly professional drivers and also have implications for the transport industry’s labour force, potentially placing a strain on Hong Kong’s primary healthcare services. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the Government’s estimated number of CV drivers who will be required to submit medical examination certificates each year over the next 10 years, calculated on the basis of the requirement that licence applicants aged 70 or above must undergo an annual medical examination (set out in a table), together with the basis and assumptions underlying such estimates;

(2) of the items covered in the medical examination required for the renewal of CV driving licences and the pass standard for each item; the estimated time required to complete one such examination;

(3) given that, as reflected by the industry, the fees currently charged by private medical practitioners or hospitals for conducting medical examinations and issuing medical examination certificates for drivers range from HK$400 to over HK$1,000 per examination, whether the Government will set a fee ceiling for medical examinations conducted for the renewal of CV driving licences, and provide a flat-rate subsidy to drivers undergoing such examinations to ease the financial burden on grassroots drivers;

(4) whether, in addition to registered private medical practitioners, the Government will consider requiring competent non-profit-making organisations and District Health Centres (DHCs) in various districts across the territory to serve as designated venues for conducting such medical examinations; whether the Government has assessed if DHCs in various districts currently have sufficient capacity and technical capability, in terms of manpower and hardware, to conduct medical examinations for CV drivers;

(5) given that some CV drivers who fail their initial medical examination may be able to improve their physical condition through medication and occupational therapy, thereby passing the examination, whether the Government has put in place follow-up and re-examination arrangements for such drivers; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(6) whether the Government has ascertained the current age distribution of CV drivers and assessed the impact on elderly CV drivers of the requirement for drivers aged 70 or above to undergo an annual medical examination; whether the Government will assist elderly CV drivers who fail the medical examination in transitioning to other suitable positions, so as to relieve pressure on their livelihoods and safeguard their basic living?

Reply:

President,

The Government has always attached great importance to road safety, continuously strengthening safety protection for road users through a multi-pronged approach. With an ageing population and hence the continuously rising number of aged drivers, the current system for the physical fitness certification of driving licence applicants and holders needs to keep pace with the times so as to help aged drivers to proactively prevent diseases and conditions that could affect driving, achieving early identification and prevention and establishing a healthy lifestyle for these drivers. This not only enhances road safety assurance but also extends the safe driving years of drivers. According to the Road Traffic (Driving Licences) Regulations (Cap. 374B), currently a person aged 70 or above who applies for a full driving licence must submit a medical certificate completed and signed by a registered medical practitioner, certifying that he/she is medically fit to drive. While driving licences are generally valid for 10 years, persons aged 70 or above can only apply for driving licences with a validity period of one year or three years.  Furthermore, if the applicant suffers from any disease or physical disability specified in the First Schedule to the Regulations, such as epilepsy, the Commissioner for Transport must refuse the application.

We earlier conducted a review of the legislation in respect of the physical fitness certification requirements and mechanisms for driving licence applicants or holders under the Regulations, and proposed a series of recommendations. These proposals include amending the Regulations to add new items of diseases or physical disabilities that render a person unfit for driving commercial vehicles (CVs); lowering the age threshold for CV drivers to submit medical examination certificates from 70 to 65; and shortening the validity period of their full driving licences (specifically, proposing that applicants aged 65 to 67 be issued a licence valid for three years; those aged 68 to 69 be issued a licence valid for two years; and those aged 70 or above be issued a licence valid for one year), with a view to strengthening the gatekeeping of the physical fitness requirements of CV drivers. 

In consultation with the Health Bureau (HHB), the reply to the question raised by the Member is as follows:

(1) According to the above-mentioned proposals, persons aged 65 or above must submit a medical examination certificate to renew or newly apply for a CV full driving licence. Since whether to renew or newly apply for a CV full driving licence is a matter of personal choice of the driver, the number of applicants varies each year, and we have not projected the number of persons who need to submit a medical examination certificate for renewal or new application for a CV full driving licence. 

(2) The Transport Department (TD) has engaged consultants and experts from the medical sector to help review the diseases or physical disabilities specified in the First Schedule to the Regulations, the existing content of the medical examination certificate and the arrangements of the physical fitness assessment of the drivers, etc., as well as to provide professional medical advice on relevant matters for the Government. With the assistance of the consultants and experts, a detailed review of the requirements for physical fitness certification in the Mainland and various overseas places has also been conducted. We are formulating a new set of assessment guidelines that systematically list out the assessment requirements for visual acuity, visual field, hearing, as well as other diseases and physical disability items specified in the legislation (including the proposed new items of diseases or physical disabilities that render a person unfit for driving CVs), while establishing and differentiating the physical fitness standards for persons who are fit to drive CVs and non-CVs. These arrangements facilitate one-stop case assessments by medical practitioners, thereby saving drivers’ time and expenses spent on the assessments, while allowing flexibility for medical practitioners to make referrals for special cases. The TD launched a trial health assessment in the fourth quarter of 2025, engaging aged CV drivers and medical practitioners to conduct physical fitness assessments in accordance with the proposed assessment guidelines and medical examination certificates. Results from the trial indicate that the assessment generally takes about half an hour.

In addition, we are working with the HHB to explore enabling medical practitioners to issue medical examination certificates via the Electronic Health System (eHealth), while at the same time establishing a system data transfer mechanism to transmit assessment results to the TD for processing driving licence applications. The relevant arrangements will streamline the submission of medical examination certificates and driving licence applications by drivers. Moreover, medical practitioners may, subject to the patients’ consent, access relevant medical records via eHealth, thereby enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of physical fitness assessments.

(3) and (4) We will encourage more medical practitioners to provide physical fitness assessment services for aged drivers through publicity, thereby amplifying market forces to make related service fees more competitive. We will also work with the HHB to explore the introduction of a list of medical practitioners under the “Doctor Search” function on the eHealth App to publish information on medical practitioners providing relevant services. This will facilitate drivers’ searching for relevant physical fitness assessment services. Furthermore, at present, eligible elderly persons may opt to use Elderly Health Care Vouchers to pay for private primary healthcare services that suit their health needs. CV drivers aged 65 or above may opt to use Elderly Health Care Vouchers to pay the said assessment fees. They may also search for healthcare providers enrolling in the Government’s subsidy schemes (including the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme) through the eHealth App.

The TD organises the Safe Driving and Health Campaign annually to promote safe driving and healthy habits among CV drivers. This includes providing free health check-up for eligible CV drivers of all ages, encouraging them to proactively manage their health conditions. To align with and support the above proposal to enhance physical fitness requirements for CV drivers, the TD is actively exploring adjustments to the scheme’s arrangements to focus its resources on giving priority to CV drivers aged 65 or above when allocating the free health check-up quotas, thereby further encouraging aged drivers to participate in health checks, understand their health condition early, and prevent or treat diseases that may affect their driving ability.

On the other hand, the Primary Healthcare Commission will implement the phased integration of Elderly Health Centre services under the Department of Health into the district health network from the end of this year, and will introduce more comprehensive elderly health assessment services. We will explore with the Primary Healthcare Commission a model where the district health network performs ancillary assessment and family doctors provide follow-up care, subject to the actual operation of the district health network and the availability of resources. This aims to guide aged drivers to pay closer attention to their own health conditions in a proactive manner and to make better use of primary healthcare services, thereby strengthening prevention and early identification of health risks.

(5) We propose that, if an applicant for a CV driving licence previously assessed as unfit to drive the relevant vehicle recovers within three years upon the expiry of his/her licence, and submits a medical examination certificate confirming his/her fitness to drive the relevant vehicle, he/she may be granted a renewal of the CV driving licence. This aims to reduce the inconvenience arising from retaking a driving test for a driving licence after recovery.

(6) As of the end of August 2026, there were around 55 000 holders of CV full driving licences aged 70 or above, representing about 15 per cent of the total number of CV licence holders. Amidst an ageing population, we propose imposing more stringent requirements for physical fitness certification of CV drivers with an aim to facilitate regular medical check-ups for these drivers at an earlier age, so that they can continuously monitor their physical conditions and understand their potential health risks. In this regard, they can ensure early prevention/treatment of diseases that may affect their driving ability and adopt a healthy way of living, thereby extending the driving years. The Government will closely monitor the impact of implementing the aforementioned measures on CV drivers in the future, and will continue to review the latest manpower situation of the sector.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by Professor the Hon Chan Wing-kwong and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (October 7):

Question:

     It has been reported that some premises were recently uncovered to have offered customers “Wilms’ tumour 1” (WT1), a vaccine which was claimed to be able to prevent multiple types of cancer, and that the Department of Health, together with the Police, earlier conducted raids at multiple premises across Hong Kong and seized a number of vials of unregistered injectable pharmaceutical products. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the following since 2023: (i) the number of operations conducted by the Government to crack down on the illegal sale or possession of unregistered medicine (with a breakdown by proactive inspections and inspections conducted upon receipt of reports), (ii) the number of unregistered pharmaceutical products seized, (iii) the number and details of persons arrested and/or prosecuted (with a breakdown by healthcare professionals and non-healthcare professionals), and (iv) the number of complaints received from members of the public respectively; and among such cases, the number of cases involving WT1;

(2) of the respective details of the Government’s screening of and enforcement against medical advertisements since 2023; and

(3) how the Government will step up public education and publicity, so as to prevent members of the public from seeking medical treatment through improper methods and channels?

Reply:

President,

Hong Kong has a stringent regulatory regime for pharmaceutical products. Any product which falls within the definition of “pharmaceutical product” under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138) must meet the criteria of safety, efficacy and quality, and be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong (Board) before it can be sold in Hong Kong. According to the Guidance Notes on Classification of Products as “Pharmaceutical Products” under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138) formulated by the Board, products intended for injection into the human body are classified as pharmaceutical products. Advanced therapy products, including gene therapy products, somatic cell therapy products and tissue engineered products, are also pharmaceutical products and are regulated under Cap. 138.

According to Cap. 138, any person who illegally sells (through any channel, including the Internet) or possesses unregistered pharmaceutical products or Part 1 poisons commits an offence and shall be liable, upon conviction, to a maximum penalty of a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for two years. Furthermore, the import and export of pharmaceutical products are regulated under the Import and Export Ordinance (Cap. 60). Any person who imports or exports pharmaceutical products without the relevant licence commits an offence and shall be liable, upon conviction, to a maximum penalty of a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for two years.

In consultation with the Department of Health (DH), the consolidated reply to the question raised by Professor the Hon Chan Wing-kwong is as follows:

(1) The DH has all along been rigorously combating the illegal possession or sale of unregistered pharmaceutical products. Its efforts include monitoring medicines sold in the market (including on the Internet) through its established mechanism, conducting investigations and follow-up actions upon receipt of intelligence, or taking proactive enforcement actions such as unannounced inspections and test purchase operations. Where necessary, the DH will also conduct joint enforcement operations with the relevant law enforcement departments, including the Hong Kong Police Force (Police) and the Hong Kong Customs (Customs).

From January 2023 to August 2026, the Drug Office of the DH conducted about 36 200 inspections relating to the regulation of pharmaceutical products, and handled 105 conviction cases involving the sale and/or possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products. The maximum penalty imposed in these cases was 10 months’ imprisonment or a fine of $242,000. 

Regarding the case in which certain organisations allegedly claimed to be able to provide the “Wilms’ tumour 1” (WT1) vaccine, the DH launched an investigation immediately upon receipt of relevant intelligence in July 2026 and conducted multiple unannounced inspections at the premises concerned. In early September 2026, the DH, together with the Police, raided a number of premises across the territory and seized over 1 600 vials of suspected unregistered injectable pharmaceutical products at four of these premises, although no product labelled as “WT1” was found. During the operations, three persons (including a registered medical practitioner) were arrested for suspected illegal possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products and Part 1 poisons.

WT1 is not a registered pharmaceutical product in Hong Kong, and so far, no registration record of the relevant pharmaceutical product has been found with the drug regulatory authorities of the Mainland or any overseas jurisdiction. The DH is tracing the source of the products and has notified Customs to follow up on the possible illegal importation of unregistered pharmaceutical products into Hong Kong involved in the case. As a registered medical practitioner and a nurse were suspected of having provided the WT1 vaccine to customers, the DH has referred the case to the Medical Council of Hong Kong and the Nursing Council of Hong Kong for follow-up. The Government will not tolerate anyone abusing his or her professional authority to endanger public health under the pretext of cancer prevention or treatment. The DH will continue to work with the relevant departments to closely monitor the situation and gather intelligence, and will take decisive enforcement action against illegal acts to safeguard public health.

(2) To prevent members of the public from seeking improper treatment for certain health conditions and thereby delaying proper diagnosis and treatment, the Undesirable Medical Advertisements Ordinance (Cap. 231) prohibits or restricts the publication of advertisements likely to lead to the use of any medicine, surgical appliance or treatment for the purpose of preventing or treating the diseases or conditions specified in Schedules 1 and 2 to Cap. 231 (including any benign or malignant tumour). Cap. 231 also prohibits or restricts the making of six groups of claims specified in Schedule 4 in advertisements for orally consumed products.

The DH has all along been screening medical advertisements based on its mechanism. From January 2023 to August 2026, the DH reviewed over 150 000 advertisements published across various media in Hong Kong, including newspapers, magazines, leaflets, signs, posters, as well as radio, television and internet advertisements. During the aforesaid period, the DH issued over 1 600 warning letters concerning advertisements suspected of contravening Cap. 231. Following the issuance of warning letters by the DH, the relevant advertisement contents were removed or deleted. For cases where the relevant advertisement contents are still not removed or deleted upon receipt of warning letters, the DH will initiate prosecution proceedings based on its mechanism. Upon first conviction, an offender is liable to a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months; upon a subsequent conviction for the same offence, an offender is liable to a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for one year.

Regarding the WT1 case mentioned above, the DH has issued warning letters to the organisations involved in accordance with the established procedures, requesting the removal of the relevant advertisement contents suspected of contravening Cap. 231. According to the DH’s investigation, the relevant advertisements were removed after the issuance of the warning letters. As the advertisements concerned were also published on social media platforms on the Mainland, the DH has notified the relevant Mainland law enforcement authorities for follow-up.

(3) The DH has all along attached great importance to public education and publicity. It has repeatedly reminded members of the public that, for any queries about the prevention or treatment of diseases (including cancers), they should first consult a registered doctor, who will provide professional advice based on their individual health condition and the latest medical evidence, and that they should not blindly trust unproven medical claims to safeguard their own health. Regarding the case in which certain organisations allegedly claimed to be able to provide WT1, the DH has issued alerts through channels including press releases, media interviews and social media platforms, reminding the public that WT1 is not a registered pharmaceutical product in Hong Kong and that any advertisement claiming to provide the vaccine for cancer prevention is misleading and suspected of fraud. The DH has also urged members of the public not to believe advertisements or rumours hastily and receive injections of substances of unknown origin. In addition, the DH has issued letters to all doctors and private healthcare facilities in Hong Kong, reminding them that they must comply with the laws of Hong Kong and must not inject illegal pharmaceutical products to patients. Members of the public who suspect professional misconduct on the part of registered healthcare professionals may lodge complaints with the relevant professional regulatory bodies, such as the Medical Council of Hong Kong and the Nursing Council of Hong Kong. The DH has also prepared safety information on the purchase and use of medicines, including Be Cautious when Buying Medicines on Internet, General Knowledge on Registered Medicines and Be Cautious When Buying Medicines Overseas, for the public’s reference.

The DH will continue to step up public education through a multi-pronged approach, including through the websites of the Drug Office and the Centre for Health Protection, social media and video clips, to educate members of the public on how to identify registered pharmaceutical products (e.g. by checking the registration number in the format of “HK-XXXXX” on the product packaging, and by searching for information on registered pharmaceutical products on the Drug Office’s website). Members of the public may also use the “Licence Scanner” function of the DH’s mobile application to verify whether a private healthcare facility is licensed or has been issued with a letter of exemption, and check whether a service provider is a registered healthcare professional through the registers of the relevant healthcare professional boards or councils. Furthermore, the Government will establish the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation within this year to further raise the regulatory standards for drugs and medical devices, thereby safeguarding public health.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that happened at a construction site in Tung Chung this afternoon (October 7), in which a male worker fell from height while dismantling a working platform on the external wall of a building under construction. He was certified dead later in hospital. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker and expresses its deepest sympathy to his family.

     The LD’s spokesman said, “We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and have issued suspension notices to the contractors concerned, suspending the erection, alteration, dismantling and use of the working platforms on the external walls of buildings at the site. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that suitable measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken.”

     The spokesman added, “We will complete the investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take action pursuant to the law if any violations are found during the investigation.”

       To prevent workers from falling from height while dismantling working platforms, the LD reminds contractors to take adequate preventive measures against falls, including providing every worker with a suitable full-body harness that is attached continuously to a suitable and secure anchor point, an independent lifeline or a fall arresting system, and ensuring that workers concerned properly use the above safety equipment throughout the work. 

     The general duty provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the relevant provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for two years.

     In regard to today’s accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its mobile application “OSH 2.0”, website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers’ unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, and reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents.

     The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees’ compensation under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees’ compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of the family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.

     For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should also co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region