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Examination beds and equipment at The Chinese University of Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Specialty Clinic cum Clinical Teach-
ing and Research Centre

estern medicine has always According to a survey published by man of Union of Frontline Chinese
been a core element of the Census and Statistics Department Medicine Practitioners (Hong Kong).
WHong Kong’s public medi- in 2015, almost 90 per cent of the He notices a serious imbalance in
cal system. But with the launch of the population consulted practitioners of doctor-patient ratio when it comes to
city’s first Chinese medicine hospital, Western medicine, whereas less than traditional Chinese medicine.
a change of government’s attitude may 18 per cent consulted Chinese medi- According to Sung, the number of
turn the tide. cine ones. Chinese medicine practitioners is now
Highlighted in the 2018 Policy “There is an oversupply of human about 10,000. Although the popula-
Address, Hong Kong’s first Chinese resources,” says Sung Chun-kei, chair- tion size of Western medicine doctors
medicine hospital will be a “flagship
institution” for the sector. The govern-
ment will subsidise certain in-patient 89.3%
and out-patient services. The 400-bed
hospital is expected to come into op- had consulted Western
eration by phrases from late 2024. medicine practitioners
The idea of setting up a Chinese
medicine hospital first emerged in 17.7%
2014, and a site in Tseung Kwan O was
reserved for the project. had consulted Chinese
medicine practitioners
Utilisation of human resources
Chinese medicine practitioners
hope this new facility can help the Source: Thematic Household Survey Report No. 58 published by the Census and
industry better utilise its manpower. Statistics Department in 2015