Hong Kong Hosts Healthcare Events, Strengthening Global Health Cooperation and Innovation Efforts

Secretary for Health attends International Healthcare Week highlighting Hong Kong's role as "super connector"

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, today (May 11) attended the Hospital Authority (HA) Convention 2026 and the Asia Summit on Global Health, marking the start of the annual healthcare flagship event International Healthcare Week. He also took the opportunity to meet with multiple high-level healthcare official delegations from the Mainland who came to Hong Kong to participate in the event and jointly explore co-operation in the area of healthcare.

Professor Lo said, "The HA Convention and the Asia Summit on Global Health are two major international events in the healthcare field. By gathering experts, scholars, and industry leaders in the medical and healthcare field from the Mainland and overseas in Hong Kong for in-depth exchanges, these two events not only highlight Hong Kong's international advantages in healthcare, but also fully demonstrate its vital role as a 'super connector' linking the Mainland and the world under the 'one country, two systems' principle."

Professor Lo emphasised that Hong Kong will proactively align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan by deepening reform of the healthcare system and continuously promoting the co-ordinated development of healthcare services, drugs and healthcare protection, thereby resonating in tandem with the nation's medical reform. At the same time, Hong Kong will also seize the opportunity to develop into an international health and medical innovation hub and move at full speed to align with the policies of the National 15th Five-Year Plan, with a view to building a "Healthy Hong Kong" while better integrating into and serving national development through leveraging the city's distinctive advantages of having strong support from the motherland and close connection with the world.

In the morning, Professor Lo met with Deputy Director-General of the Health Commission of Guangdong Province Mr Deng Linfeng and his delegation to explore the facilitation of healthcare talent exchanges between the two places, and to exchange views on healthcare collaborative projects such as the direct cross-boundary ambulance transfer arrangement.

Professor Lo said, "These initiatives will deepen healthcare integration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and duly address the expectations of residents in both places for better well-being and convenience in healthcare access. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will continue to promote the active integration of the local healthcare sector into national development. With reference to Hong Kong's model and experience in specialist training, the Health Bureau will continue to explore with the Mainland the establishment of a standardised specialists training framework in the GBA, which is on par with international practices, to facilitate the exchange and cultivation of medical talent in the GBA and the nation. We will continue to work closely with Guangdong Province on the basis of complementarity and mutual benefits with a view to jointly building a 'Healthy Bay Area'."

In the afternoon, Professor Lo met with the Executive Director of the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research at the World Health Organization, Dr Kumanan Rasanathan. During the meeting, Professor Lo introduced him to the structure and strengths of Hong Kong's healthcare system and elaborated on how Hong Kong actively participates in international health co-operation with the support of the nation. He emphasised that Hong Kong will continue to leverage its unique position to contribute to global health governance, while demonstrating Hong Kong's commitment and potential as an international health and medical innovation hub.

Professor Lo will continue to meet with various delegations attending the HA Convention 2026 and the Asia Summit on Global Health in Hong Kong tomorrow (May 12).

Secretary for Health attends International Healthcare Week highlighting Hong Kong's role as "super connector" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Secretary for Health attends International Healthcare Week highlighting Hong Kong's role as "super connector" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Secretary for Health attends International Healthcare Week highlighting Hong Kong's role as "super connector" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Secretary for Health attends International Healthcare Week highlighting Hong Kong's role as "super connector" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Secretary for Health attends International Healthcare Week highlighting Hong Kong's role as "super connector" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Secretary for Health attends International Healthcare Week highlighting Hong Kong's role as "super connector" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Secretary for Health attends International Healthcare Week highlighting Hong Kong's role as "super connector" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Government invites public views on outline of its combined fourth and fifth UNCRPD reports

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) issued today (May 11) the outline of its combined fourth and fifth reports under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) to seek views from all members of the public. The reports will be submitted to the Central People's Government for incorporation into the periodic reports of the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the United Nations pursuant to the UNCRPD.

The UNCRPDentered intoforce for the PRC, including the HKSAR, on August 31, 2008. The purpose of the UNCRPD is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedomsby all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.

In accordance with Article 35 of theUNCRPD, each State Party shall periodically submit reports on the measures taken to discharge its obligations under the UNCRPD for consideration by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the Committee). The HKSAR Government submitted its combined second and third reports on the implementation of the UNCRPD in 2018, which were subsequently incorporated into the combined second and third reports submitted by the country to the United Nations, and the reports were considered by the Committee in 2022.

A spokesman for the Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) said, "We will report the specific situations on the implementation of the UNCRPD in the HKSAR since the previous reports. We will also respond in the reports to the concerns raised and recommendations made by the Committee in its Concluding Observations published after the hearings held in 2022."

The public consultation period commences today and will end on June 30. The LWB and the Rehabilitation Advisory Committee will cohost public consultation sessions during the consultation period for all members of the public to express their views. Details of the public consultation sessions and the registration arrangements have been published on the LWB's website (https://www.lwb.gov.hk/en/highlights/UNCRPD/index.html).

"We shall summarise comments received during the consultation period and relay them to the relevant Government bureaux and departments for consideration in preparing the combined fourth and fifth UNCRPD reports," the spokesman said.

The proposed outline of the combined fourth and fifth reports under the UNCRPD is available on the LWB's website (https://www.lwb.gov.hk/en/highlights/UNCRPD/Publications/Public%20consultation%20paper_Eng.pdf).

For enquiries, please contact the LWB by fax (2543 0486) or email (uncrpd_consultation@lwb.gov.hk).

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