Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau today met a delegation led by National Health Commission Vice-minister Yu Xuejun to introduce the group to the latest updates on Hong Kong’s healthcare policies and exchange views on strengthening medical collaboration between the Mainland and Hong Kong.

Noting that Hong Kong and various places in the Mainland have been engaging in closer co-operation on healthcare development after the COVID-19 epidemic, Prof Lo said: “We will continue to strive for the strengthening and deepening of co-operation with the Mainland under the principle of complementarity and mutual benefits, with a view to levelling up the quality and efficiency of the healthcare services in both places.”

Such concerted efforts could help build a “Healthy Hong Kong” for integration into the national strategy of a “Healthy China”, thereby contributing to the development of the Greater Bay Area and that of the country as a whole, he explained.

In the afternoon, Prof Lo and Mr Yu attended the closing ceremony of the Annual Training Programme on Tobacco Control 2023 organised by the Department of Health’s Tobacco & Alcohol Control Office.

While addressing those gathered at the ceremony, Prof Lo stressed that the Government is committed to progressively lowering smoking prevalence from 9.5% at present to 7.8% by 2025.

“Having consulted citizens earlier on the tobacco control strategies for the next phase, the Government is now consolidating the views collected to derive a consensus on the future tobacco control strategies to be formulated.

“Our goal is to work with members of the public to build a more vibrant, healthier and tobacco-free society and stride as one towards the vision of a vibrant, healthy and tobacco-free Hong Kong, thereby safeguarding public health as well as rooting out the serious health and economic burden brought about by tobacco to society.”