Health chief in tears for frontline medics as HA admits low morale

Health Secretary Sophia Chan Siu-chee choked back tears while commenting on a strike organized by medical staff next week, while saying that she understands the hard work of frontline staff.

This came after the Hospital Authority Employees Alliance, a union for medical staff working at public hospitals, planned a strike next week in hopes to pressure the government for a full border closure.

In a radio program this morning, Chan said that she understands the huge pressure that frontline medical staff are under during the epidemic, as she is worried about their state of mind, while on the other hand worried about the public healthcare services.

After stressing that she will protect medical staff, Chan said she has asked the Hospital Authority to communicate well with their staff in a meeting with the union tomorrow.

The Hospital Authority Employees Alliance said earlier that there will be more than 6,500 employees of the Hospital Authority that would take part in the strike planned next week, while 70 percent of them are nurses, and eight percent are doctors.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Hospital Authority Henry Fan Hung-ling admitted that morale of his frontline staff is low at the moment, but said it is “incorrect” for his staff to go on strike.

In another radio program this morning, Fan emphasized that the Authority appreciates the efforts of his medical staff, and he hopes that everyone could cooperate and soldier on in this hard times.

Fan also addressed the strike after the program as he asked the union to reconsider, saying that a strike at this time would be unfair to those who stayed in their posts, for it would add to their burden.