https://www.scmp.com/rss/513814/feed Charles Ng is a medical doctor who holds a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University. As the founding president of the Digital Health Society, he led the COVideo19 initiative and published the Digital Solutions for Covid-19 Response for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He is a vice-chairman of the Youth Committee of the New People's Party in Hong Kong. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Charles Ng Charles Ng Since the establishment of the Hospital Authority more than three decades ago, Hong Kong residents have, rightfully, enjoyed health services that are among the most affordable globally. Health outcomes – including life expectancy and mortality rates for acute illnesses – rank among the best in the world, often outpacing those in many developed nations. The Hospital Authority was founded on the principle that no one should be denied adequate medical treatment through lack of means, a noble... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3309143/ageing-hong-kong-needs-more-accountable-public-healthcare-system?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3309143/ageing-hong-kong-needs-more-accountable-public-healthcare-system?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 May 2025 01:30:08 +0000 As Hong Kong’s population ages and the city’s health expenditure continues to balloon, the city could face a financial disaster in the coming years. This is especially as the healthcare budget is strained by salaries for public doctors, which are generous compared to many public health systems elsewhere. According to the Health Bureau, Hong Kong’s healthcare expenditure has steadily grown to 7 per cent of its gross domestic product, making it one of the highest in Asia. The government grant for... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3217739/hong-kong-must-spend-more-wisely-healthcare-starting-how-we-pay-public-doctors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3217739/hong-kong-must-spend-more-wisely-healthcare-starting-how-we-pay-public-doctors?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Apr 2023 07:45:17 +0000 Steve Wynn once said, “Human resources isn’t a thing we do. It’s the thing that runs our business.” If a land developer sees their employees as vital as the organs of a company, it is an understatement to say the same for physicians in health care. The time and money spent on each doctor in Hong Kong are massive. It costs the city HK$3.6 million (US$461,000) over six years to train one general practitioner. That is about the cost of one small apartment in Hong Kong, a city notorious for... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3205188/hong-kong-should-ensure-its-investment-training-doctors-pays?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3205188/hong-kong-should-ensure-its-investment-training-doctors-pays?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Jan 2023 00:15:10 +0000 Many developed countries face the demographic challenges of an ageing population. With almost 30 per cent of its population being 65 or older, Japan is ahead of the world in this trend which other Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries are expected to face soon. A healthy population pyramid is sustained by a fertility rate of roughly 2.1 births per woman. While the population structure of Japan will remain fairly similar during the next decade, Hong Kong seems... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3194785/how-healthcare-and-policy-reform-can-help-increasingly-elderly-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3194785/how-healthcare-and-policy-reform-can-help-increasingly-elderly-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Oct 2022 00:15:08 +0000