Policy Address
Medical and Health
District Health Centres
142. The current-term Government attaches great importance to primary healthcare development. The first District Health Centre (DHC) in Kwai Tsing District came into operation in September last year. Operation service contracts for DHCs of another two districts were awarded, and the sites for nine other DHCs have been confirmed. The Food and Health Bureau will look into implementation of a Pilot Public-Private Partnership Programme for DHCs, under which subsidised medical consultation services will be provided to DHC members who are newly diagnosed with diabetes or hypertension, with a view to enhancing the measures to manage the chronic disease and alleviating the pressure on the public healthcare system.
Enhancing the Elderly Dental Assistance Programme
143. The Elderly Dental Assistance Programme under the CCF benefits over 500 000 low-income elderly persons aged 65 or above. We plan to expand the scope of subsidy so that eligible elderly persons in need of treatment can receive more targeted dental services. These include:
- allowing the inclusion of more subsidised items, including the removal of bridges or crowns and the provision of root canal treatment; and
- allowing elderly persons reaching the age of 75 and who have joined the programme for at least five years to receive free removable dentures and other related dental services for a second time.
