Hong Kong began the official implementation of two-way ambulance transfer arrangements with Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Macau under the Pilot Scheme for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in the Greater Bay Area.

In his 2025 Policy Address, the Chief Executive announced that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government would collaborate with the governments of Guangdong and Macau to extend cross-boundary ambulance transfer arrangements, including two-way ambulance transfers.

The Hong Kong SAR Government conducted a northbound transfer drill with Guangdong Provincial Government and the Shenzhen Municipal Government on February 10, and a two-way transfer drill with the governments of Zhuhai and Macau Special Administrative Region on March 20.

In the latter drill, Zhuhai and Macau ambulances departed from designated “receiving” hospitals in those places, travelled to designated Hong Kong “sending” hospitals via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port to pick up patients, then transferred them back to the receiving hospitals via the same port for treatment. 

Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau said the scheme provides a safe, timely and convenient transfer arrangement for patients with specific needs, marks a milestone in the realisation of high-quality medical collaboration in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and advances the high-quality development of a “Healthy Bay Area”.

Since launching on November 30, 2024, the pilot scheme’s operation has gone smoothly. It has been extended to November 29 this year. So far, 25 patients have been transferred from designated sending hospitals in Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Nansha and Macau to designated public hospitals in Hong Kong for treatment.

The patients involved were deemed not to be in a suitable condition to cross the boundary on their own or for ambulance transfer via regular boundary control points.

Government departments in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau will continue to review the operational effectiveness of all hospital transfer arrangements, taking the medical needs, safety and interests of patients as prime concerns.