HA confident of hitting recruitment target of nonlocally trained docs

Wallis Wang

The Hospital Authority is confident that it can recruit around 250 nonlocally trained doctors to work in public hospitals by the end of the year, chairman Henry Fan Hung-ling said.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the two-day Hospital Authority Convention at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Fan said the authority started recruiting nonlocally trained doctors last year and has made huge progress.

"As of this date, the number of nonlocally trained doctors working at HA has increased by about three times from a meager 40-odd in 2022 to around 150," he said.

"With the establishment of the HA Global Healthcare Professional Recruitment Centre last year to provide one-stop service for potential candidates, we have seen a boost in inquiries and applications. We are confident that by the end of this year over 250 non-locally trained doctors would be working at HA."

Fan also said the HA welcomes the government's bill to introduce nonlocally trained nurses as it can ease the city's manpower crunch.

The HA has commenced exchange programs with Greater Bay Area cities, Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Macau, he said.

He said the HA is also promoting smart hospital development, including the use of the HA mobile app HA Go and teleconsultation.

Its chief executive, Tony Ko Pat-sing, said: "The HA is actively pursuing the first Hospital Development Plan in the order of some HK$200 billion, adding about 6,000 additional hospital bed spaces and 90 operating theaters. In parallel, the HA is planning for the second Hospital Development Plan with a budget of HK$270 billion."

Ko added that the hospitals are using digital technology and AI to build smart hospitals.

The National Health Commission's vice minister, Cao Xuetao, suggested deepening cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong and integrating the SAR into the country's medical development.

Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki said the government will continue increasing the supply and training of medical workers while supporting the authority in recruiting more doctors.

The government will build the SAR into a healthcare hub as it enhances the monitoring mechanism for drugs and medical devices in the city, he said.

Meanwhile, at the Asia Summit on Global Health organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the SAR will enhance its capacity in drug vetting as the city seeks to establish itself as an internationally recognized drug registration institution.

The summit is a flagship event of International Healthcare Week, which also features an international medical and healthcare fair that attracts some 300 exhibitors from around the world.