First patient with respiratory failure transferred to HK via cross-boundary ambulance

Hong Kong's Hospital Authority announced today (Jan. 10) that the first patient has been transported to HK via the newly launched Greater Bay Area (GBA) cross-boundary direct ambulance service. The patient, a man in his 60s suffering from respiratory failure and requiring artificial ventilation, was transferred from the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital to Tuen Mun Hospital this morning. The transfer followed his emergency call earlier in the day.

The "Pilot Scheme for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in the GBA," jointly introduced by the HKSAR Government, Guangdong Province, Shenzhen Municipality, and the Macao SAR Government, was officially launched on Nov. 30, 2024, for a one-year trial period. During the first phase, the service facilitates patient transfers from designated hospitals in Shenzhen and Macao—namely the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital and Conde S. Januário Hospital in Macao—to designated public hospitals in HK.

Under this "point-to-point" system, patients with specific clinical needs and conditions can be directly transported between designated hospitals without the need to switch ambulances at boundary checkpoints. Medical teams at the designated hospitals evaluate and approve such transfers, reducing risks associated with patient transport and ensuring a safer journey.

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