The Hong Kong government is reviewing whether to expand a cross-boundary direct ambulance pilot scheme to more cities in the Greater Bay Area, Secretary for Health Professor Lo Chung-mau told a Legislative Council panel meeting on Friday.
Lo said the pilot scheme, which was launched with Guangdong province to facilitate cross-boundary patient transfers, has been operating smoothly overall. In March this year, the arrangement was extended to two-way transfers involving Shenzhen, Macao, and Zhuhai, benefiting 29 patients to date.
Responding to a legislator's query on whether the service would be extended to more Greater Bay Area cities and whether financial subsidies could be provided for eligible patients, Lo said the service involves significant administrative costs for both mainland hospitals and Hong Kong authorities. The government will review the scheme's outcomes and assess demand before considering further expansion.
Lo noted that the pilot scheme covers non-emergency and stable inter-hospital transfer cases. Fees are set by mainland authorities and charged to the relevant hospitals, and the Hong Kong government currently has no plans to subsidise local residents who use the service. He stressed that Hong Kong's public hospitals provide comprehensive services, and the government does not encourage residents to seek treatment elsewhere for serious illnesses. Citizens who ultimately choose to receive medical care on the mainland should bear their own costs.
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