Primary Healthcare Commission to launch Hepatitis B Co-care Scheme to provide hepatitis B screening and treatment services for higher-risk group
The Primary Healthcare Commission (PHC Commission) under the Health Bureau announced today (January 26) that the Hepatitis B Co-care Scheme will be launched on February 7 to identify people with chronic hepatitis B in the community at an early stage and provide long-term follow-up services, with a view to reducing their risk of having cirrhosis, liver cancer and other serious complications. Starting from that day, eligible persons may enrol in the Scheme at District Health Centres/District Health Centre Expresses (collectively referred to as DHCs) to receive a hepatitis B risk assessment, screening and long-term management.
The Hepatitis B Co-care Scheme is one of the key primary healthcare initiatives put forward by the Chief Executive in his 2025 Policy Address. Making reference to the service model of the Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme (CDCC Pilot Scheme), the Hepatitis B Co-care Scheme subsidises eligible persons to receive chronic hepatitis B screenings and treatment, as well as liver cancer screenings, in the private healthcare sector through strategic purchasing and a co-payment model.
The Hepatitis B Co-care Scheme targets a higher-risk group. Hong Kong residents born in or before 1988 (the introduction year of the universal childhood hepatitis B immunisation programme) with no known medical history of chronic hepatitis B nor related symptoms, while having family members (including parents, siblings and offspring) or sexual partners who contracted chronic hepatitis B being eligible to participate. They have to first register as DHC members and agree to join eHealth.
DHC staff will arrange eligible participants to undergo a free hepatitis B surface antigen rapid diagnostic test (RDT) at DHCs, and pair them with a family doctor of their own choice. Participants with positive RDT results will be subsidised by the Government to receive further blood tests at the clinic of their chosen and paired family doctor under a co-payment model to confirm whether they are infected with the hepatitis B virus. Under the general service workflow, if the result of the participant's first blood test is positive, the family doctor will arrange a second blood test for the participant six months later to confirm the diagnosis. During the process, family doctors will promptly assess and diagnose whether a participant has chronic hepatitis B based on the participant's laboratory results and clinical conditions, with a view to providing appropriate treatment and management. During the screening phase, participants are only required to pay a co-payment fee of $180, while the Government will subsidise family doctors for up to two consultations at a total consultation fee of $136. Participants who are not diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B after a screening can continue to receive hepatitis B-related health counselling and education at DHCs to establish healthy lifestyles (see Annex for details of the screening process).
Participants who are diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B will enter the treatment phase, with arrangements the same as those of the CDCC Pilot Scheme. Participants are entitled to a maximum of four subsidised consultations per year for follow-up service, and they have to pay a co-payment fee determined by the family doctor (Note) for each consultation. The Government has recommended a co-payment fee of $150 per consultation. The Government will provide a subsidy of $166 to family doctors for each consultation. The same basic-tier drug list of the CDCC Pilot Scheme, which includes antiviral medicines for hepatitis B treatment, will also be adopted in the treatment phase. Participants prescribed with those drugs will not be required to pay for medication. In addition, family doctors can arrange appropriate laboratory testing services for participants with clinical needs. The list of laboratory tests and related co-payment fees are the same as those under the CDCC Pilot Scheme.
To encourage family doctors to provide whole-person and continuous care to members of the public, family doctors can offer management for chronic diseases such as prediabetes, diabetes mellitus, hypertension or hyperlipidaemia in the same consultation for participants who have also enrolled in the CDCC Pilot Scheme. Participants are only required to pay a co-payment fee for one consultation. The consultation quotas will also be calculated in a consolidated manner. The higher number of subsidised consultation quotas for the CDCC Pilot Scheme or the Hepatitis B Co-care Scheme shall prevail. As the concurrent management of the "three highs" and chronic hepatitis B requires a more detailed and comprehensive assessment and diagnosis, the Government will provide an additional fixed annual subsidy of $300 per participant to the family doctor if the family doctor has provided concurrent management for chronic hepatitis B and any of the "three highs" chronic diseases for the same participant in at least two consultation sessions within a calendar year (January 1 to December 31).
To address the healthcare needs of the underprivileged group, if the eligible persons are recipients of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme, recipients of the Old Age Living Allowance aged 75 or above, or holders of valid medical fee waiver certificates, DHCs will arrange for them to receive the same chronic hepatitis B screening and treatment services at 18 designated Family Medicine Clinics of the Hospital Authority. Participants may be granted a full or partial medical fee waiver based on their relevant eligibility when receiving the services.
Members of the public may visit the CDCC Pilot Scheme's thematic website for more details of the Hepatitis B Co-care Scheme.
Note: The co-payment fee for medical consultations set by family doctors under the Hepatitis B Co-care Scheme must be consistent with the co-payment level set under the CDCC Pilot Scheme.
Primary Healthcare Commission to launch Hepatitis B Co-care Scheme to provide hepatitis B screening and treatment services for higher-risk group Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Asian Financial Forum assembles global financial and business leaders to co-create new horizons amid evolving landscape
The 19th Asian Financial Forum (AFF) opened today (January 26). Featuring the theme "Co-creating New Horizons Amid an Evolving Landscape", the forum gathered heavyweight speakers from around the world to exchange insights on the latest developments in the financial market and to explore ways to foster co-operation among economies to gain mutual benefits in times of change.
The AFF, co-organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), has been a flagship financial event in the region. The two-day forum is expected to attract over 3 600 participants from more than 60 countries or regions. This year's AFF has brought together over 150 distinguished speakers, including government officials, representatives from central banks and regulatory bodies, financial and business leaders, scholars and economists, to discuss key financial and economic trends, as well as emerging opportunities in various facets of the financial sector, including asset and wealth management, fintech, trade finance, gold and precious metals trading, green finance, insurance and risk management. This year's forum also includes significant upgrades to its content, introducing the new Global Business Summit. The summit explores how finance empowers businesses, focusing on Mainland economic opportunities and examining how Hong Kong leverages the synergy between finance and industries to support Mainland enterprises in "going global" while facilitating the "bringing in" of international businesses.
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, when addressing the opening session of the AFF this morning, highlighted Hong Kong's prowess as an international financial hub. He said, "Hong Kong's financial regulatory system is robust, and our financial market stands out for its deep liquidity, innovative products and world-class investor protection. We also boast a highly educated workforce, a welcoming environment for global talent and transparent financial regulations aligned with international standards."
He stressed that these strengths are widely recognised, citing the fact that Hong Kong ranked third, globally, and first in Asia, in the most recent Global Financial Centres Index, while placing third in the 2025 World Competitiveness Yearbook, up two places over the previous year. He added that the city will focus on three fronts to further boost its status as an international financial centre. First, Hong Kong will further reinforce its existing strengths, including those in the equity market, the bond market, and the asset management and wealth management sector. Second, Hong Kong will expedite the development of new growth areas, including building an international gold trading market and commodities trading ecosystem in Hong Kong. Third, international exchanges and co-operation will remain a priority for Hong Kong, including assisting companies interested in re-domiciling to Hong Kong.
In the opening session, the Deputy Governor of the People's Bank of China (PBOC), Mr Zou Lan said that China's financial market has developed rapidly in recent years, with its international influence and attractiveness being continuously enhanced. As Renminbi is more widely used in cross-boundary transactions, Hong Kong has emerged as the world's largest and most influential offshore Renminbi business hub. He said that as a next step to steadfastly support and further steadily advance the development of Hong Kong's offshore Renminbi market, the PBOC will focus on four key directions: first, to increase the scale of Renminbi funding arrangements to provide more ample liquidity support for Hong Kong's offshore market; second, to continue to advance financial market connectivity, enriching liquidity management and risk hedging tools for overseas investors; third, to expand the supply of offshore Renminbi sovereign bonds to enhance market liquidity; and fourth, to support the development of Hong Kong's gold market to strengthen the offshore Renminbi market function of Hong Kong.
The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, delivered welcome remarks at the keynote luncheon. He said, "In a world where economies are reconfiguring value chains and seeking more resilient, diversified partnerships, Hong Kong stands out as a reliable, trusted, resourceful and well-positioned partner, bridging the Mainland and the world."
He emphasised that Hong Kong’s significance will only grow, pointing out that Hong Kong serves as a gateway for global investors to access China's innovation-driven opportunities. In the realms of finance, he highlighted two key specific areas: as the premier two-way international fundraising platform, welcoming both Mainland and international companies to list in Hong Kong to support their growth; and as the world’s leading offshore Renminbi (RMB) hub, with a wide range of RMB-denominated investment and risk management products for global investors.
He added that at a time of global fragmentation, Hong Kong will continue to remain open for business, and welcome partners from around the world in shaping the future of Asia – and the world at large – together.
The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, signed today a co-operation agreement with the Chairman of the Shanghai Gold Exchange, Mr Yu Wenjian, in the presence of Mr Lee; Mr Zou; Member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Shanghai Municipal Committee and Executive Vice Mayor of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Mr Wu Wei; and the Executive Deputy Director of the Office of the Financial Commission of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, Mr Zhou Xiaoquan. The co-operation agreement marks a new milestone for deepening the co-operation between gold markets in the two places, such as establishing a high-level, collaborative governance structure for Hong Kong's gold central clearing system, opening new avenues for physical infrastructure synergy and market interconnectivity. Separately, a panel discussion on gold exchange was held in the afternoon, analysing the market developments of the global gold industry and Hong Kong's role.
Mr Hui also chaired a plenary session today themed "Fostering Co-operation for Shared Success". Mr Hui and the panellists shared their thoughts on how to strengthen communication and dialogue among economies and pursue shared development amid the evolving global political and economic landscape. Speakers joining this session included the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance of Slovenia, Mr Klemen Boštjani; the Minister of Treasury and Finance of Türkiye, Mr Mehmet imek; the President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Ms Zou Jiayi; and the Vice-President (East and Southeast Asia, and the Pacific) of Asian Development Bank, Mr Scott Morris.
Former President of the European Commission, former Prime Minister of Portugal, and Chairman of Advisory Board at Goldman Sachs International, Dr José Manuel Barroso, also delivered a keynote speech at the luncheon, sharing his views on the changes in global political and economic landscapes and their impact on international markets.
The 19th AFF will continue tomorrow (January 27). The inaugurl Global Business Summit, co-organised by the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the HKTDC, and the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises, will be held. Focusing on how finance empowers businesses, the summit will cover the potential of high-growth industries such as artificial intelligence and technology, robotics, high-growth consumer products, and biopharmaceuticals and healthcare. It will also explore how Hong Kong can support Mainland enterprises going global, and the prospects of foreign enterprises entering the Mainland market. The summit will feature heavyweight speakers. Among them, Mr Chan; the Executive Vice Mayor of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Mr Wu Wei; and Vice Governor of the People's Government of Hunan Province Mr Wang Junshou will deliver speeches.
Business leader, investor and philanthropist Mr Paul Polman will be the speaker for the keynote luncheon tomorrow. The forum will also feature thematic workshops on topics such as artificial intelligence, sustainable banking, and family office.
The two-day AFF encompasses diverse events, including Global Spectrum series, Dialogues for Tomorrow series, and a breakfast panel. Investment opportunities are highlighted through the AFF Deal-making and a range of exhibition zones. Moreover, to showcase Hong Kong's various cultures and facilities, the forum offers experiential activities, sightseeing tours and dining discounts for international participants, encouraging them to make the most of their stay and experience the city's vitality.
Asian Financial Forum assembles global financial and business leaders to co-create new horizons amid evolving landscape Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Asian Financial Forum assembles global financial and business leaders to co-create new horizons amid evolving landscape Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Asian Financial Forum assembles global financial and business leaders to co-create new horizons amid evolving landscape Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Asian Financial Forum assembles global financial and business leaders to co-create new horizons amid evolving landscape Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Asian Financial Forum assembles global financial and business leaders to co-create new horizons amid evolving landscape Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Asian Financial Forum assembles global financial and business leaders to co-create new horizons amid evolving landscape Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Asian Financial Forum assembles global financial and business leaders to co-create new horizons amid evolving landscape Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Asian Financial Forum assembles global financial and business leaders to co-create new horizons amid evolving landscape Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Asian Financial Forum assembles global financial and business leaders to co-create new horizons amid evolving landscape Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Asian Financial Forum assembles global financial and business leaders to co-create new horizons amid evolving landscape Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
