John Lee Welcomes Experts at Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Congress in Hong Kong

Speech by CE at 41st Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Congress

Following is the video speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the 41st Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Congress today (February 5):

Mr John Lee, Photo source: news.gov.hk

Professor Jason Yam (President of Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology 2026 Congress), Professor Tetsuro Oshika (President of Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology), Professor Richard Abbott (President of Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis), Dr Hong Wah Yung (President of the College of Ophthalmologists of Hong Kong, Dr Yung Hong-wah), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

A very warm welcome to Hong Kong. It is my great pleasure to join you today at the 41st Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Congress.

Bringing together thousands of esteemed experts from around the globe, this year's Congress is held in conjunction with the Hong Kong Ophthalmological Symposium. Together, they serve as an ideal platform for exploring the latest advancements in visual sciences and ophthalmology.

Hong Kong is well placed to host this meaningful gathering. Our city has long been devoted to building a robust medical system - one that serves our community and contributes to global health dialogues.

Hong Kong enjoys one of the best healthcare systems in the world, offering affordable, accessible, and quality medical care. Our healthcare system, one that we take pride in, consistently aligns with international standards and is known for its credibility and efficiency. It helps to make Hong Kong a city with one of the highest life expectancies worldwide and contributes to our remarkable health outcomes, like a low infant mortality rate.

Similar to many developed economies, Hong Kong's population is ageing. That leads to an inevitable surge in chronic diseases. To address our evolving healthcare challenges, the HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) Government is taking forward a range of initiatives to enhance the sustainability of Hong Kong's healthcare system. These include strengthening primary healthcare, promoting health and medical innovation, as well as encouraging collaboration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

In particular, we are committed to improving ophthalmic services, recognising the continuous growth of public demand in this vital area of healthcare.

We are working to enhance ophthalmic services by strengthening training for professional personnel, introducing innovative medications, and setting up a new high-capacity cataract surgery centre. These initiatives are designed to increase service capacity and shorten waiting times, while maintaining the safety and quality in eye care service delivery.

We believe that prevention is always better than cure, and that's why safeguarding the visual health of our future generation remains a priority. The Government has been providing free visual assessment services for children and adolescents annually, from birth until secondary school graduation. These essential services facilitate early identification of visual acuity problems and, in turn, provide better support for our young people's lifelong visual health.

Investing in ophthalmology and eye care is crucial to all of society. A population with good visual health enables citizens to actively participate in the community and lead more fulfilling lives.

In this regard, I would like to express my gratitude to the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology and the Hong Kong Ophthalmological Society for co-organising today's event. It provides an invaluable opportunity for academics, experts, and professionals in the field to share insights and experiences on current developments and challenges. I am confident that the upcoming peer learning and knowledge exchange will be rewarding and constructive for all of you.

As the saying goes, "Eyes are the windows to the soul." May our shared vision for better visual health illuminate the path towards greater well-being for all.

I wish you all a fruitful event and a wonderful stay with us here. Thank you.

The poster of the 41st Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Congress, Photo source: 2026.apaophth.org

DH responds to Ombudsman's direct investigation operation report

Regarding the report on the direct investigation operation released by the Office of The Ombudsman today (February 5) on the "effectiveness of administrative support provided for complaint handling by Secretariat of Medical Council of Hong Kong (MCHK) under Department of Health (DH), and DH's regulatory role", the DH responds as follows:

The Government appreciates the Ombudsman's attention to the work of the MCHK and its valuable suggestions. The Government accepts and will actively follow up on the recommendations in the report, striving to assist the MCHK in optimising its complaint-handling mechanism, enhancing operational efficiency, and improving service quality.

The MCHK is a statutory body established under the Medical Registration Ordinance (MRO) (Cap. 161) to handle matters relating to the professional development of medical practitioners, maintain healthcare standards and protect patients in accordance with the powers conferred by legislation. The DH has consistently provided the MCHK with Secretariat staff or other resources to support the MCHK in fulfilling its duties under the MRO and relevant subsidiary legislation.

In its report, the Ombudsman expressed concerns about the MCHK's current mechanism and the progress in complaint handling, and put forward a number of recommendations for improvement, some of which will involve legislative amendments. In this regard, the Health Bureau had previously indicated that it would propose amendments to the MRO in response to the report submitted by the MCHK and its operational needs in order to ensure that the mechanism keeps pace with the times and meets the needs of society.

Regarding other recommendations made by the Ombudsman concerning the administrative arrangements of the MCHK and its Secretariat, the DH will invite the MCHK to review and refine the existing arrangements based on the Ombudsman's recommendations. Furthermore, the DH will strengthen communication with the MCHK regarding the Secretariat's overall performance of administrative support, staffing and resource requirements, as well as performance management of Secretariat staff to enhance the Secretariat's operational efficiency.

The DH stressed that the medical professioninHong Konghave all along upheld the principle of professional autonomy. The Government will assist the MCHK in discharging its statutory duties through legislative amendments, and other administrative and resource support, thereby further enhancing the professional standards and conduct of doctors to safeguard the interests of public and patients.

Source: AI-found images