Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau met a delegation led by the National Health Commission’s Department of Medical Emergency Response Director-General Guo Yanhong today to discuss collaboration with the Mainland in the realm of organ transplantation, with a view to deepening co-operation.

Prof Lo recounted that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Mainland completed an unprecedented cross-boundary organ donation with resounding success in December last year.

He said: “Not only did it save the life of a four-month-old baby girl, it also offers an opportunity for the two places to forge ahead the standing collaboration with greater confidence. This also serves to exemplify to the fullest the shared principle and mission of the Mainland and the Hong Kong SAR in protecting lives.

“We are in exploration with the Mainland to push ahead organ donation and transplant co-operation on all fronts, including continuing the drive for in-depth co-operation on communication management, academic exchanges and organ transplant mutual assistance mechanism.”

Ms Guo explained that in recent years the Mainland has established and refined its organ donation and transplantation systems with notable achievements.

She said systems had been put in place covering organ donation, organ acquisition and allocation, clinical transplantation services, quality control, and regulation, adding that these adhere to scientific principles of ethics and impartiality and align with China’s national conditions and culture.

Ms Guo also noted that the Mainland’s organ donation and transplantation work now ranks second worldwide in terms of numbers of donations and transplantation, and that its transplantation technology is among the best globally.

The Mainland delegation responded well to Prof Lo’s proposal, agreeing that communication management, upskilling and the establishment of mechanisms and policies to support standing co-operation on cross-boundary organ transplantations should be stepped up. 

Prof Lo said the Hong Kong SAR Government is deeply grateful for the strong support and collaborative efforts shown by various Mainland authorities.

“We anticipate more patients will benefit from the organ transplant technology through the setting up of a standing organ transplant mutual assistance mechanism with the Mainland,” he stressed.

The delegation led by Ms Guo arrived in Hong Kong yesterday for a four-day visit. In addition to visiting Hong Kong Children’s Hospital and Queen Mary Hospital to get a better understanding of Hong Kong’s organ donation arrangements and transplant services, they will also participate in the ongoing 18th Congress of the Asian Society of Transplantation.