m","position":5,"name":"Comment","item":{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https://www.thestandard.com.hk/comment"}}]}]17:T71f,Wallis Wang

Grassroots residents will be able to undergo preventive screenings at general out-patient clinics under the Hospital Authority starting March 28.

The Health Bureau recently announced it will expand the chronic disease co-care scheme to designated clinics in phases, offering preventive screening and care services to the underprivileged group.

The scheme, launched in 2023, provides Hongkongers aged 45 or above with no known medical history of diabetes or hypertension with subsidies to undergo screenings and consult private family doctors on a co-payment basis.

The government further decided to offer the service at the HA clinics, which have been repositioned as "comprehensive primary healthcare service providers for the underprivileged."

The bureau said recipients of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme, those aged 75 or above collecting the Old Age Living Allowance, and persons holding a valid medical fee waiver certificate can first visit district health centers for an initial assessment starting March 28.

Upon receiving referrals from district health centers, the clinics will arrange appointments for the participants within a month and formulate a health management plan for them.

"The government will continue to review the effectiveness of the pilot services, which are planned to be gradually expanded to designated general out-patient clinic service points across all 18 districts by the fourth quarter of this year," the bureau said.

It added that the co-care scheme will also be expanded to include blood lipid testing.

Co-care scheme expands services to out-patient clinics