Hong Kong – Sham Shui Po District Health Centre officially opens (with photos/video)

     The second Government-subsidised District Health Centre (DHC) in Hong Kong was officially opened today (October 18) to provide relevant Government subsidised primary healthcare services to the people in Sham Shui Po District. Officiating at the opening ceremony, the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, hoped that the commissioning of the DHC would shift the emphasis of the present healthcare system and people’s mindset from treatment-oriented to prevention-focused in order to tackle the challenges of the rapid ageing population.
   
     “As I mentioned in ‘Policy Address 2021’, there is a pressing need to vigorously promote the development of primary healthcare services and foster medical-social collaboration, I also raised the need to suggest a better appreciation of the collaboration of the entire medical team. Through the active involvement of the NGO operators, I anticipated that the DHC could utilise the local network and resources to proactively and felixibly provide district-based primary healthcare services according to the local needs and to achieve true medical-social collaboration from top to bottom,” said Mrs Lam at the opening ceremony.
 
     Apart from the Sham Shui Po DHC, DHC Expresses in 11 districts are commencing services in phases. Besides, the DHCs in Wong Tai Sin, Tuen Mun, Southern District, Yuen Long and Tsuen Wan will also commence operations progressively next year. Mrs Lam said she was delighted that the hardware to enhance the primary healthcare services was progressively materialised at the local level. The current-term Government is committed to promoting primary healthcare and care in the community. Resources are provided to set up a prevention-focused healthcare system to ensure the sustainable development of Hong Kong’s healthcare system in the long run.
 
     The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, said, “A solid primary healthcare system is the foundation for a health system. That is why we strive to establish a district-based primary healthcare system and put our efforts on primary (prevention and education), secondary (assessment and screening) and tertiary (chronic disease management and rehabilitation) prevention work, and help alleviate the pressure on public hospitals and healthcare system.”
 
     Professor Chan mentioned that the Food and Health Bureau is actively preparing for implementing a Pilot Public-Private Partnership Programme in Sham Shui Po DHC. Under the Programme, subsidised healthcare services will be provided through local network medical practitioners to DHC members who are newly diagnosed with diabetes or hypertension with a view to enhancing public’s capability in chronic disease management, thus alleviating the pressure on public healthcare system.
 
     Located at Mei Hei House of Shek Kip Mei Estate, the Sham Shui Po DHC is operated by St James’ Settlement. A multi-disciplinary team comprising nurses, allied health professionals, pharmacists, social workers and support staff provides to the public Government-subsidised primary healthcare services, including health promotion, health assessment and screening, chronic disease management and community rehabilitation.
 
     The Sham Shui Po DHC accommodates an assessment and interview area for nursing and medication counselling and health assessment, an activity area for conducting health education and chronic disease management programmes, and a health resource corner for promotion on public health initiatives. In addition, innovative technology is applied in the Rehabilitation and Exercise Area as well as a training room equipped with an immersive exercise system to provide efficient chronic disease management and community rehabilitation services to its members.

     To give full play to its role as a district primary healthcare hub, the Sham Shui Po DHC will recruit medical and healthcare practitioners practising within or in adjacent districts, including family doctors, Chinese medicine practitioners and other healthcare workers, to form a multi-disciplinary network. It will also co-ordinate with community partners which provide healthcare services in the district, and make referrals as necessary.

     The Sham Shui Po DHC started to commence services in phases since June 30. It is open from 10am to 8pm from Mondays to Thursdays and from 10am to 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays. The DHC is closed on Sundays and public holidays. People living or working in Sham Shui Po District are welcome to enrol as members and enjoy the relevant services.
 
     For more information on DHCs, please visit www.dhc.gov.hk or call the Sham Shui Po DHC hotline at 2397 1110.
 
     Also officiating at the opening ceremony were the Chairman of Executive Committee, St James’ Settlement, Dr David Li; the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam; the Chairman of the Hospital Authority, Mr Henry Fan; and the Founding Chairman of Health in Action, Dr Fan Ning.