Leading infectious diseases expert Professor Yuen Kwok-yung and five prominent Hong Kong researchers have urged the finance minister to develop high-end medical services to attract wealthy patients from abroad in a bid to ease the government’s budget deficit.
The experts penned a letter, published on Sunday, to Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po to call for “rapid and visionary action” to address the “unprecedented” double whammy of a bloated fiscal deficit and rising geopolitical tensions.
Top microbiologist Yuen and the other medical specialists suggested taking advantage of the city’s highly developed and reputable healthcare sector to develop high-end medical concierge services and attract wealthy clients from outside Hong Kong.
“In other words, the strategy is the fusion between high-end medical services, tourism and wealth management with our own ‘Hong Kong brand’. This will also lead to increased government revenue and improvements in our health services,” the medical professionals said.
They outlined their suggestions as part of the consultations ahead of the finance chief’s budget address next month.
The letter was signed by Yuen, University of Hong Kong (HKU) microbiologists Professor Jasper Chan Fuk-woo and Professor Siddharth Sridhar, as well as Professor Ivan Hung Fan-ngai from HKU’s department of medicine and Professor Jin Dongyan from HKU’s school of biomedical sciences. The sixth expert is Dr David Christopher Lung, an honorary clinical associate professor of the university.
Yuen is also employed by HKU. All six noted they were speaking in their personal capacities.
