Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau visited the Polytechnic University (PolyU) today to better understand its progress in enhancing healthcare teaching facilities, and to exchange views with teaching staff and students.

Prof Lo met the university’s management, including PolyU Council Chairman Lam Tai-fai and PolyU President Prof Teng Jinguang. He also visited the university’s healthcare teaching facilities in the company of Faculty of Health & Social Sciences Dean Prof David Shum, to learn about the progress of enhancement works.

In addition, the health chief met undergraduate and postgraduate students from various healthcare-related disciplines, and heard about their learning experiences, as well as aspirations in their pursuit of healthcare careers.

Prof Lo stated that the healthcare system is composed of different healthcare professions whose seamless co-operation contributes to the effective operation of the healthcare system, adding that the Government has long attached great importance to nurturing healthcare professionals.

“Through the multiple initiatives taken forward to increase the number of healthcare training places and enable University Grants Committee-funded universities to upgrade and expand healthcare teaching facilities, the Government is aiming to further alleviate the shortage of public healthcare manpower, such that members of the public can enjoy high-quality healthcare services in a sustainable manner,” he said.

Prof Lo also pointed out that PolyU has long trained allied health professionals and nurses. He expressed hope that students of the relevant disciplines will devote themselves to the city’s healthcare and to citizens’ wellbeing by putting their knowledge into practice after graduation.

“We will continue to earnestly explore feasible measures for strengthening the workforce of healthcare professionals in the public healthcare system in a multi-pronged approach, with a view to addressing the challenges posed to the public healthcare system by the ageing population of Hong Kong, and pushing ahead the development of Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub,” he said.