First Northbound Ambulance Transfer Drill Conducted in Greater Bay Area for Patient Care Integration

First northbound transfer drill for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in GBA conducted smoothly

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, in collaboration with the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Shenzhen Municipal Government, conducted the first northbound transfer drill for the Pilot Scheme for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in the Greater Bay Area (Pilot Scheme) today (February 10) to test the route and immigration arrangements under the simulated transfer of patients by cross-boundary ambulance from Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) to the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital (HKU-SZH).

During the drill, the Shenzhen ambulance departed from HKU-SZH and travelled to the designated Hong Kong sending hospital (i.e. QEH) via Shenzhen Bay Port to pick up the patient, and then transferred the patient back to HKU-SZH via the same port for treatment. The testing process was smooth.

In his 2025 Policy Address, the Chief Executive has announced that the HKSAR Government will, in collaboration with the governments of Guangdong and Macao, extend the cross-boundary ambulance transfer arrangements in an orderly manner, including the expansion to cover designated hospitals in Zhuhai and Nansha, as well as two-way transfers. The Pilot Scheme (southbound transfer) has been officially extended from Shenzhen and Macao to Zhuhai and Nansha since November 9, 2025.

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, said, "The successful conduction of the first northbound transfer drill from Hong Kong to Shenzhen by the government departments of Guangdong and Hong Kong has laid the foundation for extending the Pilot Scheme to a two-way transfer arrangement. The HKSAR Government will continue to maintain close communication and co-operation with relevant Mainland authorities, expecting to officially implement the two-way transfer of the direct cross-boundary ambulance transfer within the first quarter of this year. This will expedite the actualisation of a high degree of healthcare integration within the Greater Bay Area and promote the high-quality development of a 'Healthy Bay Area'."

The overall operation of the Pilot Scheme has been smooth since its implementation from November 30, 2024. The Pilot Scheme will be extended until November 29 this year, and subsequent arrangements will be announced at an appropriate juncture. To date, 23 patients have been transferred from designated sending hospitals in Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Nansha, and Macao (i.e. HKU-SZH, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Nansha Division of the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, and Conde S. Januario Hospital of Macao) to designated public hospitals in Hong Kong for treatment. According to professional medical assessments, the patients concerned have a need for continuous hospitalisation for treatment. Their conditions were relatively stable, but they were unable to cross the boundary on their own and were unsuitable for transfer to an ambulance via the existing boundary control points.

Photo shows participating personnel simulating the transfer of a patient out of Queen Elizabeth Hospital to depart for University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Photo shows participating healthcare personnel of Hong Kong and Shenzhen simulating the handover of a patient at the beginning of the drill at Queen Elizabeth Hospital of Hong Kong. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Photo shows the Shenzhen cross-boundary ambulance used for the drill arriving at Queen Elizabeth Hospital of Hong Kong to prepare for simulating the transfer of a patient to University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

First northbound transfer drill for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in GBA conducted smoothly Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

First northbound transfer drill for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in GBA conducted smoothly Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

First northbound transfer drill for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in GBA conducted smoothly Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

First northbound transfer drill for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in GBA conducted smoothly Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

First northbound transfer drill for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in GBA conducted smoothly Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million

Hong Kong Customs detected two dangerous drugs cases in Hong Kong International Airport and Yau Ma Tei respectively on April 1 and yesterday (April 2), and seized a total of about 3.1 kilograms of suspected ketamine, about 1.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine and about 1.7 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine with a total estimated market value of about $3.4 million. Two persons suspected to be connected with the cases were arrested.

In the first case, a 43-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand on April 1. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 3.1 kilograms of suspected ketamine concealed inside food packaging in his baggage. The man was subsequently arrested.

In the second case, during an anti-narcotics operation conducted in Yau Ma Tei on April 2, Customs officers intercepted a 41-year-old man and later escorted him to a hotel room nearby for a search and seized about 1.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine, about 1.7 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine, a drug inhaling apparatus and a batch of drug packaging paraphernalia. The man was subsequently arrested.

The arrested persons have been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug respectively and will appear at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (April 4).

Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people, nor to release their personal data or home address to others for receiving parcels or goods.

Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases