HK set to emerge from epidemic

October 6, 2021

Voiceover:
Delivering her 2021 Policy Address, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said while Hong Kong has ambitious plans to deliver, the top priority right now is to control the COVID-19 epidemic so that normal cross-boundary flow of people can be resumed as early as possible. 

Mrs Lam appealed to the public to get vaccinated to prevent infection and help create favourable conditions for cross-boundary travel.

She reviewed the city’s work in fighting the epidemic over the past 21 months and recognised the healthcare system’s remarkable efficiency, professionalism and high adaptability.

However, the Chief Executive noted there are still inadequacies in the system and multiple aspects need to be improved.  

Among these, there is a pressing need to vigorously promote the development of primary healthcare services and foster medical-social collaboration.

The Food & Health Bureau has begun a comprehensive review on the planning of primary healthcare services and governance framework to formulate a blueprint for the sustainable development of the services. Enhancement of medical-social collaboration will be a crucial part of the review.

Mrs Lam noted that the Government will consolidate the experience of combating the epidemic and consider strengthening the Department of Health’s core functions in formulating and implementing public health strategies, as well as monitoring and facilitating the development of health technology and the research and development of drugs, to enhance its capability to cater for society’s future development and public health.

(To watch the 2021 Policy Address speech with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Government’s top priority is to control the epidemic for the community so that normal cross-boundary flow of people can be resumed as early as possible.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam made the statement while delivering her Policy Address today, saying that Hong Kong and the Mainland will further study the details relating to the gradual and orderly resumption of quarantine free travel between the two places.

The Chief Secretary led a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government delegation to attend a September meeting held with Mainland authorities on epidemic work.

Both sides will strive to hold a second meeting as soon as possible, Mrs Lam added.

She said to resume cross-boundary travel, public support is vital and she appealed to citizens again to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

The Chief Executive said the Government will take stock of the progress made over the past 21 months and consolidate the experience in combating the epidemic.

Strengthening resources

It will consider strengthening the core functions of the Department of Health to enhance its capability to cater for the future development of society and public health.

Mrs Lam also pointed out that there is a need to improve multiple aspects to tackle the challenges posed to Hong Kong’s healthcare services by an ageing population.

Notably, there is a pressing need to vigorously promote the development of primary healthcare services and foster medical-social collaboration, and the latter will be a crucial part of a review that aims to formulate a blueprint for the sustainable development of such services in the city, Mrs Lam added.