Hong Kong Health Bureau Offers Comprehensive Medical Support for Wang Fuk Court Fire Victims

Latest figures of primary healthcare services provided by Health Bureau to residents affected by Tai Po Wang Fuk Court fire

The Health Bureau (HHB) announced earlier the medical support provided for residents affected by the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. At present, the District Health Centres/District Health Centre Expresses (collectively referred to as DHCs) across all 18 districts in Hong Kong serve as hubs to co-ordinate various primary healthcare services as needed for the affected residents. The HHB announced today (January 29) the latest figures of these services:

DHC hotlines

Under the co-ordination of the Primary Healthcare Commission (PHC Commission), the DHCs across all 18 districts in Hong Kong have set up hotlines since December 1, 2025, (see Annex 1) to provide personalised case management services for affected residents, offering more convenient and comprehensive medical support. The support includes pairing the affected residents with free consultation services provided by private family doctors and Chinese medicine (CM) practitioners, co-ordinating arrangements for follow-up appointments and medication refills at the Hospital Authority (HA)'s Family Medicine Out-patient (FMOP) Services as necessary, and making referrals to necessary healthcare, nursing and medication services, as well as psychological support. The services co-ordinated by DHCs are not subject to district boundaries. For example, the Centres may assist affected residents in transferring HA FMOP follow-up appointments and medication refill service points, from Tai Po District to another location, thereby sparing residents the need for travelling across districts. As of January 27, the DHCs hotlines across all 18 districts have received 369 enquiries in total.

Free consultations by family doctors and CM practitioners and free denture replacement services

The HHB introduced a free family doctor service scheme, free CM consultation services, and free denture replacement services on December 4, 15, and 23, 2025, respectively to support the primary healthcare needs of the affected residents until February 28 this year. Case managers of the DHCs will arrange for them to receive up to three free consultations by family doctors and CM practitioners respectively based on their individual situations and preferences, covering the provision of medication and related treatments; and at least one free dental consultation and one follow-up appointment (subject to clinical need), covering denture replacement and oral treatment services.

As of January 27, more than 300 private family doctors have participated in the free family doctor service scheme, covering more than 450 service points that include eight private hospitals. So far, 97 referrals have been handled. As for the free CM consultation services, more than 360 CM practitioners have participated, covering more than 620 service points, and 64 referrals have been handled so far. Regarding free denture replacement services, more than 110 private dentists have participated, covering over 150 service points, and 31 referrals have been handled so far.

HA's healthcare services

All individuals injured in the fire and admitted to public hospitals under the HA will receive full fee waivers for all necessary healthcare services (including drugs and medical devices) throughout the entire process of their treatment and rehabilitation. A total of 79 patients received treatment at various public hospitals due to the fire. As of January 27, 75 of them had already recovered and were discharged, and the remaining four are in stable condition. Healthcare staff will continue to provide appropriate treatment and care to these patients.

Moreover, all residents of the eight blocks at Wang Fuk Court (including foreign domestic helpers) are eligible for full medical fee waivers until December 31 this year. The waivers cover in-patient services, family medicine and specialist out-patient clinics (SOPCs) services (including psychiatry SOPCs), accident and emergency services, day hospitals, day procedures, community services, and Chinese Medicine Clinics cum Training and Research Centres under the HA. As of January 27, the HA has provided necessary healthcare services to around 1 900 affected residents.

Mental health support

The 18111 - Mental Health Support Hotline immediately deployed additional staff and strengthened training for its call handlers on the day of the fire incident to cope with the emotional distress that the public may experience due to the incident. From the time of the incident to January 27, the hotline has received over 19 500 calls, about 760 of which were related to the fire incident. The WhatsApp service has handled over 900 messages, with about 50 of them concerning the fire incident. The HA's 24-hour Mental Health Direct hotline, manned by psychiatric nurses, offers professional advice and support on mental health issues to callers, including provision of risk assessments and referrals to the HA's mental health services as appropriate. As of January 27, the Mental Health Direct hotline has received 107 calls related to the fire incident, with 45 of them coming from affected citizens.

The HHB will continue to provide comprehensive primary healthcare support to affected residents. The HHB also designed the relevant service workflow from the residents' perspective, allowing them to receive convenient and effective medical support simply through the DHCs (see Annex 2).

Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Photo by Bastille Post

Speech by SFST at Listing Ceremony of Hang Seng Gold ETF (English Only)

Following is the speech by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, at the Listing Ceremony of Hang Seng Gold ETF (exchange-traded fund) today (January 29):

Kelvin (Chairman of the Securities and Futures Commission, Dr Kelvin Wong), Luanne (Executive Director and Chief Executive of Hang Seng Bank, Ms Luanne Lim), Rosita (Director and Chief Executive Officer of Hang Seng Investment Management Limited, Ms Rosita Lee), ladies and gentlemen, and distinguished guests,

Good morning. It is a great privilege to address you today as we mark a pivotal new chapter in Hong Kong's financial market. With our determined efforts to position the city as a premier international gold trading hub, as indicated by the Chief Executive's Policy Address, the listing of the Hang Seng Gold ETF represents strong support for this vision and contributes to the growth and innovation of Hong Kong's gold market.

In recent years, sovereign and financial investors have increasingly sought diversification for reserves and asset allocation. Gold's attributes - as a commodity, an investment vehicle, and a safe-haven asset - have strengthened further, driving sustained price appreciation. Global gold demand in value terms surged 44 per cent year-on-year in the third quarter of last year, reaching a record US$146 billion. Gold ETF holdings also rose substantially, climbing by 222 tonnes in the quarter to exceed 3 800 tonnes, underscoring robust investor appetite amid geopolitical uncertainties and market volatility.

We are delighted to welcome the listing of the Hang Seng Gold ETF. As the first ETF in Hong Kong that supports physical gold redemption at bank, it seamlessly blends the flexibility and liquidity of an ETF with the security of physical commodities. This enables smooth trading, secure storage, and flexible redemption - all conducted entirely within Hong Kong. We are also encouraged by the continued momentum of financial innovation here and look forward to even greater advancements. The exploration of distribution through licensed digital asset exchanges will help bridge traditional and digital finance, unlocking new opportunities.

This initiative aligns fully with the vision set out in the Chief Executive's 2025 Policy Address, which calls for accelerated development of a world-class international gold trading market. Key measures include establishing a central clearing system for gold in Hong Kong that provides efficient, reliable services in strict compliance with international standards, while inviting participation from the Shanghai Gold Exchange to facilitate collaboration with the Mainland.

A landmark milestone was achieved this Monday with the signing of a co-operation agreement between my bureau and the Shanghai Gold Exchange at the Asian Financial Forum earlier this week. This partnership lays a solid foundation for Hong Kong's gold central clearing system to connect with the Mainland market.

The Hong Kong Precious Metals Central Clearing Company Limited, wholly owned by the Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) Government, will operate this system. Together with our partners, we will drive its efficient development, ensuring alignment with international standards and also promoting greater trust, transparency, and innovation in the gold market.

In closing, I wish the listing every success. By working hand in hand with the market, we are building a more connected, efficient, and innovative gold ecosystem that benefits investors regionally and also globally. Thank you.

Source: AI-found images