Source:
https://scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/3009032/foreign-trained-doctors-can-only-be-temporary-cure-hong
Comment/ Opinion

Foreign-trained doctors can only be a temporary cure for Hong Kong’s chronic staff shortage

  • The problem is a mismatch in numbers between Hongkongers seeking to use the public health service and the doctors and nurses in the sector. Opening the door to overseas doctors is necessary, but not sufficient to ease the overcrowding
Patients crowd the accident and emergency department of Kwong Wah Hospital in Yau Ma Tei, in January this year. Photo: Sam Tsang

Judging by the number of doctors in a given population, Hong Kong does not appear to fare as well as the advanced countries in the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development. According to Hong Kong’s Department of Health, we have 1.9 physicians per 1,000 population, a ratio lower than the OECD countries, including Denmark (4.4 per 1,000); Australia (3.6); the UK (2.8); Japan (2.4) and; Singapore (2.3).

Of course, Hong Kong’s ratio is higher than many other places in the world. Perhaps it can also be argued that the ratio does not accurately reflect the situation here because quite a number of locals choose traditional Chinese medicine doctors over Western doctors, or rely on Chinese herbal medicines and over-the-counter drugs.