Govt mulling third medical school in HK: health chief
Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau has pledged to actively consider a proposal to set up a third medical school in Hong Kong to address the shortage of healthcare professionals. Speaking at an event honouring doctors on Sunday, Lo said the government will bolster the training of local doctors and retain medical personnel in public hospitals to tackle the staffing shortage. "In recent years, the government has allocated over HK$30 billion to fund the construction of medical training facilities at universities," he added. "In the future, the SAR government will continue to support the two existing medical schools by enhancing their teaching capabilities, boosting admission quotas and sources. The government will also actively consider a proposal to establish a third medical school." Currently only the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong offer medical programmes in the SAR, with the schools producing a combined 590 graduates each year. The president of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Nancy Ip, told the media in February that she hoped to launch the city's third medical school by 2027. She revealed the initial intake of 50 students would be gradually ramped up to 150 per year. Lo also said in the meantime, the government will continue to introduce non-locally trained doctors. He expects more than 250 doctors who were trained overseas will have joined the public healthcare system by the end of this year.