The total number of attendances at Hong Kong's 18 Chinese Medicine Centres for Training & Research exceeded 1.16 million last year.
Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan made the statement to legislators today.
The centres operate under a tripartite collaboration model involving the Hospital Authority, non-governmental organisations and local universities offering undergraduate courses in Chinese medicine.
Prof Chan said they provide 216 training places for Chinese medicine graduates and each centre must provide at least 60,000 consultations per year.
She said the centres have achieved their purpose, saying: "In 2016, the total number of attendances at the 18 (centres) exceeded 1.16 million."
She said as the centres' services are not part of the authority's regular services. Their objectives are different from those of the authority's general out-patient clinics.
Since the first centre's establishment in 2003, the standard fee for a general consultation has remained at $120.
The centres must also set aside at least 20% of their attendance quota for Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients whose consultation fees are waived.
Different groups of people like the elderly also get discounts in consultation fees at centres run by non-governmental organisations.
Prof Chan said these measures ensure the level of fees at the centres is reasonable.
The Government is planning for the construction of the first Chinese medicine hospital at a site in Tseung Kwan O.
She said the Government will announce its positioning and development framework in the first half of next year.
