A profound demographic and economic shift is sweeping through Asia, quietly rewriting the rules of national development. The traditional paradigm of treating population ageing as a passive fiscal burden is being dismantled as Beijing makes the “silver economy” and proactive ageing strategies the pillars of national security and economic growth. China’s population aged 60 and…
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) will dip into its reserves to repay a HK$4 billion (US$510.9 million) government loan owed by its debt-ridden private hospital, the institution’s council chairman has said. The finances of the CUHK Medical Centre were on the agenda of Friday’s Legislative Council health panel meeting, but the discussion was…
The number of secondary school students diagnosed with mental illness in Hong Kong has doubled over the past five academic years, with the increase potentially under-reported due to reluctance among some pupils and parents to disclose health information, education authorities have said. The data is in line with a trend recorded by the Health Bureau…
Nearly 90 per cent of Hong Kong smokers cannot distinguish smuggled cigarettes from duty-paid ones under the government’s proposed plain packaging, a survey by an advocacy group has found. The Long-term Tobacco Policy Concern Group on Thursday also urged authorities to expand the function of the tobacco stamp duty system to allow consumers to scan…
Hong Kong authorities have proposed requiring the Medical Council to set a time frame for handling complaints, following public backlash over a 15-year delay to an inquiry into an alleged medical blunder that left a child permanently disabled. The Health Bureau on Friday also proposed reforming the composition of the watchdog, bringing in doctors with…
Four people injured in Hong Kong’s deadly Tai Po fire remain in hospital in stable condition, while 75 others have been discharged as of Thursday, according to health authorities. A government spokesman said that healthcare staff would continue to provide appropriate treatment and care to the patients from the Wang Fuk Court fire, which claimed…
About 85 per cent of those injured in the deadly Tai Po fire in Hong Kong have been discharged, while the rest are in a stable condition, according to health authorities. The Health Bureau also said on Wednesday that 63 affected residents received free family doctor consultations, 18 received free denture replacements in private dental…
Emergency services at Hong Kong’s public hospitals have operated smoothly on the first day of the new year despite raising fees for non-urgent cases, but some patients from minority groups said they were unaware of the changes. Starting on Thursday, New Year’s Day of 2026, patients visiting accident and emergency rooms at Hong Kong public…
About 300,000 Hong Kong residents will be offered free hepatitis B screenings early next year, as the city aims to meet a set of international goals to eliminate the disease as a public health threat by 2030. The screening scheme will run in parallel with authorities’ other measures to tackle hepatitis, as Hong Kong launched…
More than 10,000 teenagers and underprivileged Hongkongers have benefited from subsidised dental care programmes launched earlier this year, with about 1,500 street sleepers set to be included from next month. The Department of Health on Wednesday said its community dental support programme would be expanded to reach more people in need and provide advanced treatments…