Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan today attended the opening ceremony and plenary session of the 2021 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Forum on Traditional Medicine via video conferencing.

She delivered a keynote speech at the plenary session and shared with leaders, diplomatic envoys stationed in China and representatives of healthcare departments from 11 countries the latest progress of Chinese medicine (CM) development in Hong Kong.

In her speech, Prof Chan thanked the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine for its unfailing support in Hong Kong's CM development.

She said: "The Government has all along been committed to promoting the development of CM, and has been actively pushing forward development in the areas of policy and regulation, talent nurturing, research and innovation, CM services, Chinese medicines industry and more.

"Looking ahead, there will be greater room for CM development in Hong Kong with the support of the country through the Construction Plan for the Chinese Medicine Highlands in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (2020-2025) in terms of development directions; the commissioning of two flagship institutions, Hong Kong's first Chinese medicine hospital (CMH) and the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute; and the support for the development of the CM sector through the $500 million of Chinese Medicine Development Fund."

The Government will continue to maintain close co-operation with the organisation and health authorities of its member states in order to promote CM development in concerted efforts, Prof Chan added.

On CM services, the health chief pointed out that the Government has been providing subsidised CM outpatient services at Chinese Medicine Clinics & Training & Research Centres in 18 districts, and integrated Chinese-Western medicine inpatient services at designated public hospitals for patients with selected diseases through the Hospital Authority.

In addition, Hong Kong's first CMH is under construction and expected to be commissioned in phases in the second quarter of 2025.

It will serve as a flagship institution leading the CM development in Hong Kong, providing outpatient and inpatient services, supporting education, clinical training and research work, as well as promoting collaboration.

Meanwhile, in view of the COVID-19 epidemic situation, the authority launched the Special CM Out-patient Programme in April last year to provide free CM general consultation rehabilitation outpatient services to discharged COVID-19 patients.

The Special CM In-patient Programme was then launched in January to provide treatment services to patients at the community treatment facility and the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre as another treatment option.

Prof Chan said both services have been well received and allowed CM to give full play to its strength in the anti-epidemic control efforts.