Pilot Scheme for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in GBA to be extended to Zhuhai and Nansha on Sunday
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In his Policy Address in September this year, the Chief Executive has announced the extension of the cross-boundary ambulance transfer arrangements with the governments of Guangdong and Macao in an orderly manner, including expansion to cover designated hospitals in Zhuhai and Nansha, as well as two-way transfers. To ensure the smooth implementation of relevant arrangements, the HKSAR Government, in collaboration with the People's Government of Zhuhai Municipality and the Nansha District People's Government of Guangzhou Municipality, conducted drills in September and October respectively to assess the simulated transfer of patients under the cross-boundary ambulance arrangements. The drills were conducted smoothly in general. The Pilot Scheme will be extended to Zhuhai People's Hospital and the Nansha Division of the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, starting from November 9.
The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, said, "With the high degree of integration among cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and frequent travelling of residents between different cities in the GBA for living and working, there is an increasing demand for the cross-boundary transfer of patients in a point-to-point mode. The extension of the Pilot Scheme will help enhance the medical collaboration in the GBA, offering patients a safer, more timely and convenient transfer arrangements.
"The arrangements for direct cross-boundary ambulance transfer in the GBA involve cross-boundary travelling of vehicles, healthcare personnel, drugs and medical devices, and more. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to various national ministries, including the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, the National Health Commission and the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China, for their support and guidance which contributed to the smooth extension of the arrangements. I would also like to thank various authorities of the People's Government of Guangdong Province, the People's Government of Zhuhai Municipality, the Nansha District People's Government of Guangzhou Municipality and the People’s Government of Shenzhen Municipality for their concerted efforts in maintaining proactive communication and close collaboration on the arrangements for direct cross-boundary ambulance transfer. In addition, I would like to thank a number of HKSAR Government departments and organisations, including the Security Bureau, the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department, the Immigration Department, the Transport Department, the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority, for their full co-operation."
The Pilot Scheme was launched on November 30 last year, with the implementation of direct cross-boundary ambulance transfer of patients from designated sending hospitals in Shenzhen and Macao (i.e. the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital and the Conde S. Januario Hospital of Macao) to designated public hospitals in Hong Kong in its first phase. As at early November this year, a total of 17 patients (11 from Shenzhen and six from Macao) had been successfully transferred to designated public hospitals in Hong Kong for treatment. According to professional medical assessments, patients of the above cases have a need for continuous hospitalisation for treatment. Their conditions were relatively stable, but they were unable to cross the boundary on their own and were unsuitable for transfer to an ambulance via the existing boundary control points. The risk during transfers can be significantly reduced if patients are not required to be handed over between ambulances at boundary control points, and the arrangements fully demonstrated the continuous deepening of quality healthcare collaboration and development in the GBA. The overall operation of the Pilot Scheme has been smooth since its implementation, and it will be extended for one year until November 29 next year.
The governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will continue to review the effectiveness and operational experiences of the existing transfer arrangements, with the medical needs, safety and interests of patients as the prime concerns, as well as to press ahead with the objective of extending the cross-boundary ambulance transfer arrangements to two-way transfers as set out in the Policy Address, aiming for implementation early next year.
Ends/Friday, November 7, 2025
Issued at HKT 12:38
Issued at HKT 12:38
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