Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau led a delegation to Shenzhen today to meet health officials of Guangdong Province and Shenzhen Municipality.

He met Health Commission of Guangdong Province Deputy Director-General Deng Linfeng, Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration Deputy Commissioner Wang Ling and Public Hygiene & Health Commission of Shenzhen Municipality Deputy Director Li Chuang.

Prof Lo introduced to them the initiatives on developing Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub and aspects of deepening medical collaboration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), as set out in the 2024 Policy Address.

The health chief noted that the Resolution of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization adopted by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee mentions further reform of the medical and healthcare systems and support for the development of innovative drugs and medical devices.

The Development Plan for Shenzhen Park of Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science & Technology Innovation Co-operation promulgated by the State Council put forward the synergistic development of Shenzhen and Hong Kong under the “one zone, two park” model, expressing clear support for the innovative application of advanced biomedicine technologies by capitalising on the role of the GBA International Clinical Trial Centre, he added.

“The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is determined to leverage the advantages of 'one country, two systems' and Hong Kong's healthcare professional system to develop Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub to expedite patients' access to advanced diagnostic and treatment services, and promote the development of the biomedicine research and development industry, while actively integrating into the national development by showing support for fostering new quality productive forces in biomedical technology, as set out in the aforesaid resolution and the development plan.”

During the meeting, various medical collaboration initiatives in the GBA such as expanding cross-boundary health record sharing, promoting specialist training in the bay area and extending the Elderly Health Care Voucher GBA Pilot Scheme were also discussed.

Prof Lo added that the Health Bureau will implement various co-operation initiatives with the Mainland as put forward in the Policy Address and deepen medical and healthcare collaboration with the Mainland, in particular the GBA Mainland cities.