Hong Kong health chief hails 160 years of Guangzhou medical school ties
Hong Kong's Secretary for Health speaks at Sun Yat-sen University's medical school 160th anniversary forum in Guangzhou, highlighting historic ties, cross-border healthcare cooperation, and the role of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area integration in advancing health goals.
Hong Kong's Secretary for Health, speaking at Sun Yat-sen University's Medical High-Quality Development Conference and 160th Anniversary Forum in Guangzhou on 8 November, praised the historic and ongoing links between the territory and the university's medical faculty. The secretary noted that Sun Yat-sen University's medical school traces its roots to the Canton Medical College, founded in 1866, which educated revolutionary Sun Yat-sen in 1886 before he continued his studies at Hong Kong's College of Medicine, now part of the University of Hong Kong.
“This history is a shared imprint of medical education in Guangdong and Hong Kong, and witnesses the deep exchanges between teachers and students in the development of Western medicine in South China,” the secretary said. The address highlighted current health challenges including ageing populations, chronic diseases, and emerging infectious diseases, alongside opportunities from artificial intelligence and biotechnology.
The secretary outlined Hong Kong's first five-year health plan, announced in September 2026, which aligns with national “Healthy China” strategy. The plan focuses on primary care reform, building a global medical innovation hub, and strengthening the city’s role as a “super-connector” within the Greater Bay Area. Cross-border cooperation includes mutual recognition of medical qualifications, with Sun Yat-sen University graduates forming the largest group of non-locally trained doctors passing Hong Kong's licensing exams.
Since June 2023, the Hong Kong Medical Council has recognised Sun Yat-sen University medical degrees for special registration allowing practice in public hospitals. The university's Hong Kong Advanced Research Institute, opened in October 2024 at Hong Kong Science Park, focuses on biomedical science. Sun Yat-sen University's First Affiliated Hospital was among the first under Hong Kong's pilot scheme for elderly medical vouchers in the Greater Bay Area, handling over 9,100 transactions as of October 2026, accounting for 44 per cent of total transactions at Guangzhou's four service points.
The Hong Kong Hospital Authority collaborates with the university on a Greater Bay Area medical talent exchange programme. Several Sun Yat-sen University hospitals are designated under the “Hong Kong-Macau Drug and Device Scheme”, providing advanced treatments to patients across the region. The secretary concluded by expressing confidence that joint efforts across Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau would contribute significantly to a “Healthy Bay Area” and “Healthy China”.